This investigation reveals that the pattern of the anterior attachments of the superficial fibers of the long plantar ligament is markedly variable according to individuals, unlike the usual descriptions in anatomy textbooks. The variation is classified into six types according to the kind of metatarsal bone set to which the fibers are attached. The most frequent type in the case of Japanese is the one in which the superficial fibers are attached to the second, third, fourth and fifth bases of the metatarsal bones. This type coincides with the description of some Japanese and many German textbooks, though these do not explain the existence of the various types.
The lateral calcaneometatarsal ligament is separable from the proper long plantar ligament and is located between the tuberosity on the fifth metatarsal bone and the lateral process on the calcaneal bone. This fact is described in few textbooks of anatomy. However, it is absent at a frequency of ca.24% in the Japanese, according to the present investigation.