Athletic lower leg conditions Flashcards
What are the main foot bones?
Forefoot contains five toes (phalanges) and five longer bones (metatarsals).
Midfoot is a pyramid-like collection bones that form the arches of the feet including three cuneiform bones (medial, intermediate, and lateral), the cuboid bone, and the navicular bone.
Hindfoot forms the heel and ankle. The talus bone supports the leg bones and transfers weight and pressure across the ankle joint. The calcaneus is the heel bone and transfer body weight from the legs to the ground.
What are the main joints of the foot?
Each big toe has two joints; the metatarsophalangeal joint at the base of the toe and the interphalangeal joint just above it.
The other four toes have three joints each; the metatarsophalangeal joint at the base, the proximal interphalangeal joint in the middle, and the distal phalangeal joint close to the tip.
What are the main ligaments of the foot?
- Anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) connects the fibula to wedge-shaped bone at the front of the foot (talus)
- Calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) connects the heel bone to the fibula
What are the muscles used during gait?
Tibialis anterior, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip abductor, gluteus maximus, and erector spinae.
The swing phase is when the limb is not weight-bearing and represents 40% of a single gait cycle.
What are the arches of the foot?
- Medial longitudinal arch
- Lateral longitudinal arch
- Transverse arch
Shaped by metatarsal and tarsal bones, braced by tendons and ligaments, allow the foot to support body weight in erect posture.
What is plantar fascitis?
Inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that connects your heel bone to the toes. It absorbs shock when walking. Trauma and overuse can cause small tears resulting in heel pain.
Risk factors:
- Leg length discrepancy
- Postural deviation
- Muscle dysfunction
- Female feet, narrow forehind ratio
- Shoe trends
What is hallus valgus?
Pressure from walking or foot shape can cause a bunion, a painful bony lump on the outside of the big toe.
What is turf toe?
Injury where the big toe joint ligaments, tendons, or soft tissues stretch or tear. Caused by hyperextension of the big toe, often in sprinting or jumping.
What is pes cavus?
Term for a high arch of the foot that does not flatten with weight-bearing.
What is pes planus?
“Flat feet”. Foot deformity defined by loss of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot where it contacts the ground.
What is tendonitis?
A strain where the pain is felt near where the muscle attaches to the bone.
