Long plantar ligament

Looks like

The longest ligament of the sole, from the underside of the heel bone to the cuboid and the bases of the outer metatarsals (long foot bones).

What it does

Holds up the outer arch of the foot and roofs the groove for the fibularis longus tendon.

Keeping it well

Rarely torn; it strains with other arch supports in flat feet.

Related conditions

• Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans)
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Clubfoot (talipes equinovarus)
• Flat feet (pes planus)
• Ganglion cyst
• Gout
• Haemophilia & bleeding disorders
• Hammer toe and claw toe
• Lyme disease
• Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis)
• Lymphoedema
• Marfan syndrome & connective tissue disorders
• Morton's neuroma
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Restless legs syndrome
• Rheumatic fever & rheumatic heart disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Temporomandibular joint disorder
• Varicose veins
• Venomous snakebite