Quick Facts
Origin: Continuation of the plantar digital veins.
Course: Pass within the intermetatarsal spaces and unite in a plantar venous arch.
Tributaries: Intercapitular veins.
Drainage: Plantar surface of the foot.
Origin
The plantar metatarsal veins are the continuations of the plantar digital veins at the clefts of the toes.
Course
The plantar metatarsal veins pass proximally in the intermetatarsal spaces and unite to form the plantar venous arch at the proximal end of the metatarsal bones.
Tributaries
The plantar metatarsal veins receive the intercapitular veins, short vessels that pass between the heads of the metatarsal bones and connecting to the plantar metatarsal veins. These veins tend not to have any valves and the blood flow is bidirectional. In some instances valves may be present and face towards the superficial system, thus, allowing blood to pass from the plantar to dorsal systems (Kelikian, 2012).
Structures Drained
The plantar metatarsal veins drain blood from the plantar aspect of the foot.
References
Kelikian, A. S. (2012) Sarrafian's Anatomy of the Foot and Ankle: Descriptive, Topographic, Functional. Wolters Kluwer Health.
