Lecture 11: The leg, ankle and foot Flashcards
What do tibial fracture occur as a result of?
high energy trauma. Due to the thinness of the subcutaneous tissues on the anterior leg, fractures of the tibia can be ‘open’
Where is the preferred location for gaining ‘intravosseous access’ in unwell patients
Tibia
What are the tibia and fibula connected by?
tough, fibrous intraosseous membrane
What does the proximal tibia articulate with?
distal femur at the knee joint
What forms the socket (Mortise) for the talus?
Elongated projections (malleoli) from the distal tibia and fibula together
The articulation between these is the ankle joint
How many bones are involved in the ankle joint?
3
What are the 3 bones called involved in the ankle joint?
distal tibia
distal fibula
talus
What type of joint and hinge is found in the ankle joint?
“Talocrural” joint
Synovial hinge
What movements are possible at the ankle joint?
- extension (dorsiflexion)
- Flexion (planarflexion)
What movement is possible at the subtalar joint?
Inversion and eversion
Name 2 reasons why the ankle joint very stable?
good congruity
very strong ligaments
When is our ankle most stable?
During dorsiflexion
Why is the ankle most stable during dorsiflexion? (3)
- This is because the trochlea of the talus is wider anteriorly than posteriorly
- During dorsiflexion, the anterior part of the trochlea moves between the malleoli
- This spreads the tibia and fibula slightly, increasing their grip on the talus
What are the 3 lateral stability ligaments?
- Anterior talofibular ligament
- Posterior talofibular ligament
- Calcaneofibular ligament
What is the medial stability ligament attached to?
The medial ligament is attached to the medial malleolus and fans out to attach to the talus, navicular and calcaneus
What is another name for the medial stability ligament?
Also called deltoid ligament due to it’s resemblance to the Greek letter delta
( Δ )
How many phalanges does the big toe have?
2
How many phalanges does the toes 2-5 have?
3
Name 4 functions of the foot?
- Support and transmits body weight
- Acts as a lever to propel body forward during motion
- Acts as a resilient spring to absorb shock
- Series of small bones and ligaments can deform to absorb shock and adapt to uneven surfaces - if the foot was RIGID each impact with the ground would generate large forces
What are the 4 movements of the toes?
- Flexion
- Extension
- Abduction
- Adduction
what brings about the movement of the toes?
Extrinsic muscles (muscles in the leg)
Intrinsic muscles (muscles in the foot)
where is the movements flexion and extension possible in the toes?
at the MTPJs, PIPJs, DIPJs, and the IPJ of the big toe
Where is movement of abduction and adduction possible in the toes?
at the MTPJs
What is flexion at the 1st metarsophalangeal joint especially important in?
Locomotion
What are the 3 arches of the foot called?
Lateral longitudinal (LLA)
Transverse (TA)
Medial Longitudinal (MLA)
What is the function of the arches of the foot?
The 3 arches help to distribute weight, absorb shock and increase the flexibility of the foot
How do the arches act during walking, running and jumping?
Act as springboards for propulsion
What are the arches of the foot maintained by?
- passive supports (ligaments, shape of the bones)
- dynamic supports, which include the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the foot.