The plantar metatarsal veins run backward in the

metatarsal spaces The metatarsal bones, or metatarsus, are a group of five long bones in the foot, located between the tarsal bones of the hind- and mid-foot and the phalanges of the toes. Lacking individual names, the metatarsal bones are numbered from the medi ...

, collect blood from digital veins and communicate, by means of perforating veins, with the veins on the dorsum of the

foot The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg mad ...

, and unite to form the

deep plantar venous arch The four plantar metatarsal veins run backward in the metatarsal spaces, communicate, by means of perforating veins, with the veins on the dorsum of the foot, and unite to form the plantar venous arch (or deep plantar venous arch) which lies alongs ...

which lies alongside the

plantar arterial arch The plantar arch is a circulatory anastomosis formed from: * deep plantar artery, from the dorsalis pedis - a.k.a. dorsal artery of the foot * lateral plantar artery The plantar arch supplies the underside, or sole, of the foot. The plantar arch ...

References

Veins of the lower limb {{circulatory-stub