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Corrective Exercise Solutions: Foot and Ankle Pain
FEET AND ANKLE MUSCLES
TIBIALIS ANTERIOR
Tibialis
Anterior
The Tibialis Anterior is located on
the front of the lower leg and under
the foot.
MUSCLE SPECIFICS
The tibialis anterior originates on the outside front of the lower leg near the top of the tibia. It
travels down the leg, crosses over the ankle, and wraps around and under the inside border of
the foot where it inserts in the midfoot and forefoot area.
MUSCLE ACTION(S)
The tibialis anterior inverts the foot and ankle (i.e., rolls it outward) and brings the toes and foot
toward the shin (i.e., dorsiflexion).
REAL LIFE MOVEMENTS
In real life movements like lunging and squatting the tibialis anterior lengthens under load like a
bungee cord to help hold up the medial longitudinal arch and control pronation of the foot and
ankle. This stores energy in the muscle to enable the tibia to externally rotate as the foot
comes out of pronation into supination.
REAL LIFE MOVEMENT EXAMPLE
The tibialis anterior helps control the speed with which the foot pronates and the tibia rotates
internally. These movements happen in all weight bearing activities, especially those where the
arches are not artificially supported (for example, when running barefoot).
HELPFUL TIPS
The tibialis anterior works in conjunction with the tibialis posterior to help control the degree to
which the tibia internally rotates and the foot pronates.
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