3. Quadratus Plantae

Origin:

  • Lateral head: lateral border of calcaneal tuberosity
  • Medial head: medial surface of calcaneal tuberosity

Insertion: Tendon of the flexor digitorum longus

Action:

  • Assists flexor digitorum longus
  • Helps in maintaining the line of pull of flexor digitorum longus in line with the midline of the foot

Innervation: Lateral plantar nerve (S2/3)

Foot muscles, plantar view.
Figure 5.6 Quadrate planate, adapted by Pngbot (mikm) from the original image by Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter (Public domain).

Needling

Position: Prone

Palpation: Palpate just caudal from the calcaneus

Technique:

1. Needle directly towards the calcaneus (can aim towards medial and lateral borders)

2. Needle transversely in a medial-to-lateral direction just below the navicular tuberosity

Caution: Low

Needling quadrate plantae directly at the calcaneus.
Figure 5.7 Needling quadrate plantae directly at the calcaneus, original image by Nadine Crocker, CC BY-NC 4.0.
Needling quadrate plantae through a catch-all technique laterally just below the navicular tuberosity.
Figure 5.8 Needling quadrate plantae through a catch-all technique laterally just below the navicular tuberosity, original image by Nadine Crocker, CC BY-NC 4.0.

Video 5.3 Needling quadrate plantae prone, original video by Nadine Crocker, CC BY-NC 4.0.

Video 5.4 Needling quadrate plantae lateral, original video by Nadine Crocker, CC BY-NC 4.0.

License

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

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