In this note, we will consider the anatomy of the veins of the foot, areas of blood drainage, and anastomoses.
The venous system of the foot consists of two main types of deep veins:
plantar veins, which drain the plantar surface or the inferior part of the foot
and dorsal veins, which drain the dorsal surface of the foot.
Venous plexuses in the plantar areas of the toes merge to form plantar digital veins (vv. digitales plantares)

These veins communicate with their dorsal counterparts, the dorsal digital veins (vv. digitales dorsales)

and form four plantar metatarsal veins (vv. metatarsales plantares).

These veins pass proximally in the intermetatarsal spaces, and then continue to form a deep plantar venous arch (arcus venosus plantaris).

They end with the branching from the arch of the medial and lateral plantar veins (vv. plantares medialis et lateralis).


The dorsal venous arch (arcus venosus dorsalis)

is formed by dorsal metatarsal veins (vv. metatarsales dorsales);

which are also formed by dorsal and plantar digital veins (vv. digitales plantares et dorsales).


Veins of the foot
- Plantar digital veins
- vv. digitales plantares
- Dorsal digital veins
- vv. digitales dorsales
- Plantar metatarsal veins
- vv. palmares plantares
- Deep plantar venous arch
- arcus venosus profundus
- Medial and lateral plantar veins
- vv. plantares medialis et lateralis
- Dorsal venous arch
- arcus venosus dorsalis
- Dorsal metatarsal veins
- vv. metatarsales dorsales
- Dorsal and plantar digital veins
- vv. digitales plantares et dorsales