Which tendon is found immediately posterior to the medial malleolus?

Which tendon is found immediately posterior to the medial malleolus?

• A. Flexor digitorum longus
• B. Flexor hallucis longus
• C. Tibialis posterior
• D. Plantaris

Answer: (C)

The structure being tested is the arrangement of tendons behind the medial malleolus within the flexor retinaculum. The tendon that lies immediately behind the medial malleolus is the tibialis posterior tendon. It runs in a groove right behind the malleolus before passing under the flexor retinaculum and headed toward the navicular bone. This position makes it the first tendon encountered when palpating behind the malleolus and it also accounts for its role in inversion and plantarflexion of the foot. The flexor digitorum longus tendon sits behind tibialis posterior, further back, and the flexor hallucis longus tendon lies even deeper. The plantaris tendon does not pass behind the medial malleolus.

The structure being tested is the arrangement of tendons behind the medial malleolus within the flexor retinaculum. The tendon that lies immediately behind the medial malleolus is the tibialis posterior tendon. It runs in a groove right behind the malleolus before passing under the flexor retinaculum and headed toward the navicular bone. This position makes it the first tendon encountered when palpating behind the malleolus and it also accounts for its role in inversion and plantarflexion of the foot. The flexor digitorum longus tendon sits behind tibialis posterior, further back, and the flexor hallucis longus tendon lies even deeper. The plantaris tendon does not pass behind the medial malleolus.