2 3 Technical Tuesday and Extensor Retinaculum | Ballet Webb

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Technical Tuesday and Extensor Retinaculum

Technical Tuesday and Extensor Retinaculum

The extensor retinaculum is an anatomical term for the thick bands of connective tissue that hold the tendons of extensor muscles in place. There is an extensor retinaculum in the wrist, the knee, and in the ankle. Today I’m talking about the ankle. Basically, the term retinaculum refers to any region of the body where tendons from different muscles pass under one connective tissue band.
Here is a description from healthline.com:

“The extensor retinaculum refers to the set of ligaments inside the ankle that connect the tibia and fibula, which are the bones of the lower leg. The Achilles tendon and tissue inside the sole of the foot are also connected by the extensor retinaculum.”

The extensor retinaculum functions to stabilize the tendons as the muscles to which they attach contract to cause movement-  as in working the foot in tendu, or simply walking. The Inferior Extensor Retinaculum can become injured if too much pressure is put on the ankle. A strain of this type is often seen in athletes who run. It can also happen whenever there is undue pressure placed on the ankle, like forcing turnout or standing for long periods on one leg. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Anatomical Secret #:
“The extensor retinaculum is a Y-shaped band in front of the ankle.”

Link of the Day:


Quote of the Day:
“The application of consistent, logical effort, over a prolonged period is the key to reaching your physical muscular potential.”
― Craig Cecil

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