The shin muscle
Tibialis anterior · musculus tibialis anterior
The muscle on the front of your shin that lifts your foot and toes off the ground.
What it does
The tibialis anterior runs down the outer front of the shin and crosses the ankle to the inner side of the foot. It lifts the foot upwards so the toes clear the ground as you swing your leg, and lowers the foot gently after your heel strikes.
Surprising fact
If the nerve to this muscle is damaged, the foot slaps down with each step, and people lift their knee high to stop the toes catching, a "foot drop" gait.
Why it matters
The ache down the front of the shin when you start running or walk fast downhill is often this muscle working hard to control your foot.
Nearby
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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.