Flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle of foot

{{Short description|Muscles of the sole of the foot in the third layer}}

{{For|the muscle on the hand|Flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle of hand}}

{{No footnotes|article|date=June 2015}}

{{Infobox muscle

| Name = Flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle

| Latin = musculus flexor digiti minimi brevis pedis

| Image = Musculus flexor digiti minimi brevis (foot).png

| Caption = Muscles of the sole of the foot. Third layer. (Flexor dig. quint. brev. labeled at center right.)

| Origin = Fifth metatarsal bone

| Insertion = First phalanx of the fifth toe

| Action = Flexion and adduction of the fifth toe

| Antagonist = Abductor digiti minimi muscle

| Blood =

| Nerve = Superficial branch of lateral plantar nerve

}}

The flexor digiti minimi brevis (flexor brevis minimi digiti, flexor digiti quinti brevis) lies under the metatarsal bone on the little toe, and resembles one of the interossei.

It arises from the base of the fifth metatarsal bone, and from the sheath of the fibularis longus; its tendon is inserted into the lateral side of the base of the first phalanx of the fifth toe.

Occasionally a few of the deeper fibers are inserted into the lateral part of the distal half of the fifth metatarsal bone; these are described by some as a distinct muscle, the opponens digiti quinti.