S5) The Foot Flashcards
Identify and describe the types of bones in the human foot
- Tarsals – seven irregularly shaped bones
- Metatarsals – five bones which connect the phalanges to the tarsals
- Phalanges – bones of the toes (4 toes - proximal, intermediate & distal, big toe - proximal & distal)
Identify the 7 tarsal bones
The talus is the most superior of the tarsal bones.
Identify and describe its three articulations
- Superior: ankle joint (tibia & fibula)
- Inferior: subtalar joint (talus & calcaneus)
- Anterior: talonavicular joint (talus and the navicular)
State two functions of the talus bone
- Transmits forces from the tibia to the calcaneus
- Acts as an attachment site for numerous ligaments
The calcaneus lies underneath the talus.
Identify and describe its two articulations
- Superior: subtalar joint (calcaneus & talus)
- Anterior: calcaneocuboid joint (calcaneus & cuboid)
State two functions of the calcaneus bone
- Transmits forces from the talus to the ground
- Acts as an attachment site for Achilles tendon (calcaneal tuberosity)
The navicular bone is the only tarsal bone in the intermediate row.
Identify its articulations
- Posterior: talus
- Anterior: three cuneiform bones
- Lateral: cuboid bone
State a function of the navicular bone
Plantar surface acts as an attachment site for the tibialis posterior tendon
The cuboid is the most lateral bone in the distal row.
Identify its articulations
- Posterior: calcaneus
- Anterior: metatarsals IV and V
State a function of the cuboid bone
Inferior surface has a groove which acts as an attachment site for the fibularis longus muscle
The three cuneiforms (lateral, intermediate and medial) are wedge shaped bones.
Identify their articulations
- Posterior: navicular
- Anterior: metatarsals I, II, III
State a function of the cuneiform bones
The shape of the bones helps form a transverse arch across the foot
What are the metatarsals?
- The metatarsals are five bones located in the midfoot, between the tarsals and phalanges (numbered I-V medially to laterally)
- They consist of a distal head and proximal base, which are joined by a shaft of bone
What are the articulations of the metatarsals?
- Proximal: tarsometatarsal joint (metatarsal bases & cuboid/cuneiforms)
- Lateral: Intermetatarsal joint (metatarsal & adjacent metatarsals)
- Distal: metatarsophalangeal joint (metatarsal head & proximal phalanx)
Identify the different arches of the foot
- Two longitudinal arches (medial and lateral)
- One anterior transverse arch