The long big-toe extensor
Extensor hallucis longus · musculus extensor hallucis longus
A shin muscle that lifts your big toe.
What it does
The extensor hallucis longus lies between tibialis anterior and the long toe extensor. Its tendon runs over the top of the foot to the tip of the big toe and lifts it.
Surprising fact
Doctors test this muscle by asking you to lift your big toe against resistance, a quick check of the nerve root from the lowest lumbar level of the spine.
Why it matters
A weak big-toe lift can be one of the first signs of a trapped nerve in the lower back, which is why it is part of the routine back examination.
Nearby
Read more
Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.