Joints of the leg, ankle and foot

Question 1

What happens at the tibiofibular joints on dorsiflexion/plantarflexion.

Answer 1

Passive movement to accommodate talus.

Question 2

Classify and locate proximal tibiofibular joint.

Answer 2

Synovial plane. Head of fibula + opsterolateral aspect of lateral tibial condyle.

Question 3

Classify and locate distal tibiofibular joint.

Answer 3

Fibrous. (syndesmosis). Inferior ends of tibia and fibula. Prevents tibia and fibula separating in weight-bearing.

Question 4

What are the functions of the interosseous membrane?

Answer 4

Unite tibia and fibula. Increase surface area for muscle attachment. Separate muscle compartments.

Question 5

What joints are there in the foot?

Answer 5

Talocrural, intertrasal, tarsometatarsal, intermetatarsal, metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal.

Question 6

Classify, name and locate the ankle joint. Which movements are permitted?

Answer 6

Synovial hinge, talocrural, between tight mortise of tibia+fibula (held by inf. tibiafibular joint), and talus. Flexion/extension.

Question 7

Where is the ankle joint capsule weakest? What ligaments strengthen it and where do they go?

Answer 7

Anteriorly and posteriorly to accomodate for dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. Strengthened laterally by medial and lateral collateral ligaments.

Question 8

Where does the medial collateral ligament run?

Answer 8

Called the DELTOID LIGAMENT - very strong. Between medial malleolus of tibia to talus, cancaneus and navicular. Remember it is triangle shaped.

Question 9

Where does the lateral collateral liagment run?

Answer 9

Lateral malleolus of fibula to the talus (talofibular ligaments) and calcaneus (cancaeofibular ligament)

Question 10

Why are inversion sprains more common than eversion?

Answer 10

Because lateral collateral ligament is weaker than the deltoid ligament.

Question 11

Which joints fall under the category of intertarsal joints?

Answer 11

Subtalar (talocalcaneal), mid-tarsal (talocancaneonavicular, calcaneocuboid), and others.

Question 12

Which foot joints move on movement of the foot?

Answer 12

Subtalar and midtarsal. Movements here permit inversion/eversion.

Question 13

Which movements combine to produce inversion and eversion?

Answer 13

inversion - adduction +pronation

Eversion - abduction + supination.

Question 14

Where does the spring ligament attach?

Answer 14

calcaneus to naviucular

Question 15

Which joints do the dorsal and plantar ligaments support?

Answer 15

intertarsal joints

Question 16

which joints are strengthened by the long and short plantar ligaments?

Answer 16

cancaneus and cuboid.

Question 17

Summarise the ligaments of the foot (excluding collateral ligaments at the ankle.)

Answer 17

Spring ligament - between calcaneus and navicular.
Long + short plantar ligaments - between calcaneus and cuboid.
Dorsal and plantar ligaments - between intertarsal joints.
Talocalcaneal ligament - between talus and calcaneus in tunnel between capsule of subtalar and talocalcaneonavicular joints.

Question 18

Where does the talus articulate?

Answer 18

With tibia/fibula at ankle, subtalar (with calcaneus) and talocalcaneonavicular joint. Between the capsules for the subtalar + talocalcaneonavicular joints lies the strong TALOCALCANEAL ligament.