Dorsalis pedis artery: anatomy, location and function

What it is

The dorsalis pedis artery is the continuation of the anterior tibial artery onto the top of the foot.

Location

It begins midway between the malleoli, runs along the dorsum of the foot lateral to extensor hallucis longus, to the proximal end of the first intermetatarsal space. There it divides into the first dorsal metatarsal artery and the deep plantar artery, which passes into the sole. Other branches are the lateral and medial tarsal and the arcuate arteries.

Function

It supplies the dorsum of the foot and the toes.

Body system

Cardiovascular · paired (left and right)

FMA ID

FMA43916 (Foundational Model of Anatomy)

Key facts

• Its pulse can be felt on the dorsum of the foot lateral to the extensor hallucis longus tendon.
• The deep fibular nerve lies beside it on the dorsum of the foot.

Clinical relevance

A weak or absent dorsalis pedis pulse suggests peripheral arterial disease, but the pulse is also absent in a small minority of healthy people.

The nearest named structures in the 3D model, measured from the centre of each part:

• Navicular bone of foot · skeletal
• Intermediate cuneiform bone · skeletal
• Medial cuneiform bone · skeletal
• Lateral tarsal artery · cardiovascular
• Lateral cuneiform bone · skeletal
• Extensor hallucis brevis · muscular
• Deep plantar artery · cardiovascular
• Medial plantar artery · cardiovascular
• Dorsal venous arch of foot · cardiovascular
• Cuboid bone · skeletal