The extensor digitorum brevis muscle (EDB) is located along with the extensor hallucis brevis (EHD) in the dorsal region of the foot and are responsible for collaborating with the agonist action of the extensor digitorum longus muscles (EDL) ) and extensor hallucis longus (EHL) in the extension of the four medial fingers in the metatarsophalangeal joints. This complementary condition allows its surgical transfer to other re- ceptor regions without affecting the extensor functionality of the toes, which is why during the last decades it has become an important tissue for the reconstruction of tissue injuries, however, there are few studies biometrics that describe it in detail. The objective of this investigation was to establish the length, width and area of extension of these muscles accompanied by the determination of their distances from the medial wedge and the base of the fifth metatarsal for surgical use. In addition to the above and after the description of the muscle variants found, the innervation motor points of these two muscles were determined. To do this, 36 formalized lower limbs of Brazilian adult individuals belonging to the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL), Maceió, Brazil, were studied. Measurements were made with a 0.01 mm precision Mitutoyo caliper obtaining a length, width and area of 6.89 ± 1.64 cm, 3.81 ± 0.42 cm and 31.98 ± 7.60 cm2 on the right side of 6.91 ± 1.64 cm, 3.68 ± 0.46 cm and 30.75 ± 7.61 cm2 on the left, respectively. In 17 % of cases there is presence of accessory tendons for the EDB muscle. The distance from the medial margin of the EHB muscle with respect to the medial wedge and the lateral margin of the EDB muscle to the base of the fifth metatarsal was 1.97 ± 0.43 and 1.72 ± 0.41 on the right side and 2,01 ± 0.62 and 1.87 ± 0.36 on the left side respectively. Motor points (Pm) predominated in 64 % in the middle third of the EHB muscle and in 64 % in the proximal third of the EDB muscle. These results are a significant contribution both for those who perform orthopedic surgery and for detailed knowledge of the dorsal foot anatomy.
KEY WORDS: Anatomy; Foot dorsum; Innervation; extensor digitorum brevis muscle; extensor hallucis brevis muscle; motor points; biometry.
