4. Flexor Digitorum Brevis

Origin: Medial tubercle of calcaneal tuberosity

Insertion: Both sides of the middle phalanges of digit 2-5

Action: Flexes digit 2-5

Innervation: Medial plantar nerve (S2/3)

Plantar muscles layers of the foot.
Figure 5.9 Flexor digitorum brevis, adapted by Mikael Häggström from the original image by Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter (Public domain).

Needling

Position: Prone

Palpation: Palpate the medial plantar arch and resist digit 2-4 flexion to help isolate this muscle

Technique:

    1. Needle perpendicular to the foot, can target more the origin of this muscle if the patient is adverse to needling/sensitive
    2. Can needle transversely from medial to lateral just under the navicular tuberosity (catch all technique)

Caution: Low – medial and lateral plantar nerves do run under this muscle, chance of hitting them

Needling flexor digitorum brevis.
Figure 5.10 Needling flexor digitorum brevis, original image by Nadine Crocker, CC BY-NC 4.0.

Video 5.5 Needling flexor digitorum brevis, original video by Nadine Crocker, CC BY-NC 4.0.

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Sinew Channel Needling Copyright © 2026 by Nadine Crocker is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book