The Foot

Question 1

What is the function of the foot?

Answer 1

The foot functions to support the body weight and plays an important role in locomotion.

Question 2

Answer 2

1. Talus
2. Calcaneus
3. Navicular
4. Cuboid
5. Cuneiform bones
6. Metatarsal bones

Question 3

What is the deep fascia of the foot known as?

Answer 3

The plantar fascia

Question 4

Where do the other movements of the ankle occur apart from dorsiflexiona dn plantarflexion?

Answer 4

at the subtalar (below the talus) joints – these are eversion and inversion

Question 5

Answer 5

The talonavicular joint (1), is a ball and socket joint which allows the foot to pivot from side to side.

The talocalcaneal joint (2), helps this process allowing for some lateral sliding movement

Question 6

Both of these are synovial joints- the talonavicular and talocalcaneal joint are essential for what?

Answer 6

Weight distribution when walking on uneven ground and balancing on one leg.

Question 7

How are the foot bones arrnaged?

Answer 7

The foot bones are arranged in longitudinal and transverse arches. These arches distribute body weight on to the main fat pads and the curvature acts as a shock absorber

Question 8

What does body weight do to the bones?

Answer 8

The body weight acting vertically downwards on the talus will tend to force the navicular and calcaneus bones apart.

Question 9

What is the arches of the foot force resisted by?

Answer 9

Many of the muscle tendons which cross these joints but also by some important ligaments.

This is the plantar calcaneo-navicular or ‘spring’ ligament.

It also helps to maintain the medial longitudinal arch and contributes to the subtalar joints.

Question 10

The integrity of the arch is maintained by what?

Answer 10

Both passive and dynamic factors.

Question 11

What are the passive factors of the foot?

Answer 11

1. Shape of the united bones
2. Plantar calcaneonavicular ligament or spring ligament
3. Long plantar ligament
4. Short plantar ligament

Question 12

What are the dynamic factors of the foot?

Answer 12

1. Intrinsic muscles of the foot
2. Long flexor tendons
3. Tendon of tibialis anterior and fibularis longus

Question 13

What are 2 examples of arch problems?

Answer 13

A number of conditions can contribute to changes in the arches of the foot

1) High arches (pes cavus) are often due to congenital abnormalities (cerebral palsy), causing fixed contractions of the flexor muscles.
2) Flat feet (pes planus) is a common problem as you get older, due to the dysfunction of one or more of the above dynamic or passive factors.

Both can impact on the normal walking gait of a person, this with or without pain.

Question 14

How many layers are there in the foot?

Answer 14

4 layers

Question 15

Answer 15

Question 16

Answer 16

Question 17

What do the first layers of muscles do?

Answer 17

Flexes the toes; initiating the first part of the gait cycle (the ground phase).

Question 18

What is layer two like?

Answer 18

Two terminal branches of the tibial artery and nerve and artery are found, with the muscles which flex the toes.

Question 19

What are the two terminal branches of the tibial nerve which innervates the intrinsic muscles of the foot?

Answer 19

The medial plantar and lateral plantar nerves

Question 20

Which are the two terminal branches of the posterior tibial artery which supply the foot region?

Answer 20

lateral artery and medial plantar artery

Question 21

What are these?

Answer 21

Deep intrinsic muscles

Question 22

What are these?

Answer 22

Interossei muscles

Question 23

What does layer 3 of the fet do?

Answer 23

Contains the adductors and short flexors of the toes.

Question 24

What does the layer 4 do?

Answer 24

Contains the interossei – these are subdivided into plantar interossei which adduct the digits and dorsal interossei which abduct the digits