The tibialis anterior is the large muscle lateral to the shin bone in the anterior compartment of the leg. It arises from the lateral tibia and interosseous membrane and inserts on the medial cuneiform and base of the first metatarsal. The deep fibular nerve supplies it, and it dorsiflexes and inverts the foot.
| Origin | Lateral condyle and upper two thirds of the lateral surface of the tibia and the interosseous membrane. |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Medial and plantar surfaces of the medial cuneiform and base of the first metatarsal. |
| Innervation | Deep fibular (peroneal) nerve (L4-L5). |
| Blood supply | Anterior tibial artery. |
| Action | Dorsiflexes the ankle and inverts the foot; helps maintain the medial longitudinal arch. |
3D model: BodyParts3D (CC BY 4.0), adult male reference anatomy. Highlighted structure shown with nearby bones for context.
It lifts the front of the foot during the swing phase of walking so that the toes clear the ground.
Inability to dorsiflex the foot, usually due to weakness of tibialis anterior from deep or common fibular nerve injury or an L4-L5 lesion.
Dorsiflexion of the ankle and inversion of the foot.
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