The Long Plantar Ligament Enthesophyte

Enthesophytes can arise from several places on the plantar surfaces of the calcaneous. One of these is at the origin of the long plantar ligament, which originates from the plantar aspect of the calcaneus between the posterior and anterior tubercles and inserts into the cuboid, with some fibers continuing on to the second to fourth metatarsal bases. Enthesophytes can also arise from the site of origin of the short plantar (calcaneocuboid) ligament (calcaneocuboid ligament) on the anterior tubercle.

The image above shows two plantar calcaneal enthesophytes, one arising just above the origin of the plantar fascia, and the other arising from the origin of the long plantar ligament (pink arrow).

References

• Abreu MR, Chung CB, Mendes L, Mohana-Borges A, Trudell D, Resnick D. Plantar calcaneal enthesophytes: new observations regarding sites of origin based on radiographic, MR imaging, anatomic, and paleopathologic analysis. Skeletal Radiol. 2003 Jan;32(1):13-21.
• Ward KA, Soames RW. Morphology of the plantar calcaneocuboid ligaments. Foot Ankle Int. 1997 Oct;18(10):649-53.