The branches of the dorsal artery of the foot At the rear of the foot passes a. dorsalis pedis, the dorsal artery of the foot, which is a continuation of the anterior tibia artery, located on the bones in the ligaments and having medially from the tendon of the long extensor of the thumb, and lateral – medial abdomen of the short extensor of the fingers. Here on a. dorsalis pedis, you can determine the pulse by pressing it against the bones. In addition to 2 – 3 skin sprigs branching out in the skin of the rear and the medial side of the foot, the dorsal artery of the foot gives the following branches:
1. Ah. tarseae mediales, medial tarsi arteries, —to the medial edge of the foot.
2. A. tarsea lateralis, lateral tarsal artery; moves to the lateral side and at its end merges with the next branch of the artery of the foot, namely with the arcuate artery.
3. A. arcuata, arcuate artery, moves away against the medial sphenoid bone, is sent to the lateral side along the bases of the metatarsal bones and anastomoses with the lateral tarsal and plantar arteries; arcuate artery gives anteriorly three aa. metatarseae dorsales – the second, third and fourth, bound in the corresponding interosseous metatarsal intervals and dividing each into two aa. digitales dorsales to the sides of the fingers facing each other; each of the metatarsal arteries gives the piercing branches, anterior and posterior, extending to the sole. Often a. arcuata is weak and is replaced by a. metatarsea lateralis, which is important to consider when studying the pulse on the arteries of the foot with endarteritis.
4. A. metatarsea dorsalis prima, the first dorsal metatarsal artery, represents one of the two terminal branches of the dorsal artery of the foot, goes to the gap between the I and II fingers, where it is divided into two finger branches; even earlier division gives the branch to the medial side of the thumb.
5. Ramus plantaris profundus, the deep plantar branch, the second, larger of the terminal branches into which the dorsal artery divides, goes through the first interplusar spacing to the sole, where it participates in the formation of the plantar arch, arcus plantaris.