Objectives: This study was carried out to observe the foot gworeum meridian muscle from a viewpoint of human anatomy on the assumption that the meridian muscle system is basically matched to the meridian vessel system as a part of the meridian system, and further to support the accurate application of acupuncture in clinical practice.
Methods: Meridian points corresponding to the foot gworeum meridian muscle at the body surface were labeled with latex, being based on Korean standard acupuncture point locations. In order to expose components related to the foot gworeum meridian muscle, the cadaver was then dissected, being respectively divided into superficial, middle, and deep layers while entering more deeply.
Results: Anatomical components related to the foot gworeum meridian muscle in human are composed of muscles, fascia, ligament, nerves, etc. The anatomical components of the foot gworeum meridian muscle in cadaver are as follows:
1. Muscle: Dorsal pedis fascia, crural fascia, flexor digitorum (digit.) longus muscle (m.), soleus m., sartorius m., adductor longus m., and external abdominal oblique m. aponeurosis at the superficial layer, dorsal interosseous m. tendon (tend.), extensor (ext.) hallucis brevis m. tend., ext. hallucis longus m. tend., tibialis anterior m. tend., flexor digit. longus m., and internal abdominal oblique m. at the middle layer, and finally posterior tibialis m., gracilis m. tend., semitendinosus m. tend., semimembranosus m. tend., gastrocnemius m., adductor magnus m. tend., vastus medialis m., adductor brevis m., and intercostal m. at the deep layer.
2. Nerve: Dorsal digital branch (br.) of the deep peroneal nerve (n.), dorsal br. of the proper plantar digital n., medial br. of the deep peroneal n., saphenous n., infrapatellar br. of the saphenous n., cutaneous (cut.) br. of the obturator n., femoral br. of the genitofemoral n., anterior (ant.) cut. br. of the femoral n., ant. cut. br. of the iliohypogastric n., lateral cut. br. of the intercostal n. (T11), and lateral cut. br. of the intercostal n. (T6) at the superficial layer, saphenous n., ant. division of the obturator n., post. division of the obturator n., obturator n., ant. cut. br. of the intercostal n. (T11), and ant. cut. br. of the intercostal n. (T6) at the middle layer, and finally tibialis n. and articular br. of tibial n. at the deep layer.
Conclusion: The meridian muscle system seemed to be closely matched to the meridian vessel system as a part of the meridian system. This study shows comparative differences from established studies on anatomical components related to the foot gworeum meridian muscle, and also from the methodical aspect of the analytic process. In addition, the human foot gworeum meridian muscle is composed of the proper muscles, and also may include the relevant nerves, but it is as questionable as ever, and we can guess that there are somewhat conceptual differences between terms (that is, nerves which control muscles in the foot gworeum meridian muscle and those which pass nearby) in human anatomy.