Bryn Mawr Foot & Ankle Clinic Chicago Podiatrist
Images Bryn Mawr Foot & Ankle Clinic Chicago Podiatrist
Bryn Mawr Foot & Ankle Clinic Chicago Podiatrist
North   1126 W. Bryn Mawr
  Chicago, IL 60660
  773-561-7626
South   6441 S. Pulaski Rd.
  Chicago, IL 60629
  773-582-7100
Bryn Mawr Foot & Ankle Clinic Chicago Podiatrist
West   2552 S. Pulaski Rd.
  Chicago, IL 60623
  773-522-8977
 
 
Bryn Mawr Foot & Ankle Clinic Chicago Podiatrist

Foot Skeletal Structure

The human foot is a biological masterpiece. Like a finely tuned race car or a space shuttle, it is complex, containing within its relatively small size 26 bones (the two feet contain a quarter of all the bones in the body), 33 joints and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments, to say nothing of blood vessels and nerves.

Foot problems are among the most common health ills. Studies show that at least three quarters of the American populace experiences foot problems of some degree of seriousness at some time in their lives; only a small percentage of them seek medical treatment, apparently because most mistakenly believe that discomfort and pain are normal.

The disarticulated bones of the left foot, from above (The talus and calcaneus remain articulated)

1 Calcaneus
2 Talus
3 Navicular
4 Medial cuneiform
5 Intermediate cuneiform
6 Lateral cuneiform
7 Cuboid
8 First metatarsal
9 Second metatarsal
10 Third metatarsal
11 Fourth metatarsal
12 Fifth metatarsal
13 Proximal phalanx of great toe
14 Distal phalanx of great toe
15 Proximal phalanx of second toe
16 Middle phalanx of second toe
17 Distal phalanx of second toe

 

Bones of the tarsus, the back part of the foot

Talus
Calcaneus
Navicular bone
Cuboid bone
Medial, intermediate and lateral cuneiform bones

Bones of the metatarsus, the forepart of the foot

First to fifth metatarsal bones (numbered from the medial side)

Bones of the toes or digits

Phalanges -- a proximal and a distal phalanx for the great toe;
proximal, middle and distal phalanges for the second to fifth toes

Sesamoid bones

Two always present in the tendons of flexor hallucis brevis

Origin and meaning of some terms
associated with the foot

Tibia: Latin for a flute or pipe; the shin bone has a fanciful resemblance to this wind instrument.

Fibula: Latin for a pin or skewer; the long thin bone of the leg. Adjective fibular or peroneal, which is from the Greek for pin.

Tarsus: Greek for a wicker frame; the basic framework for the back of the foot.

Metatarsus: Greek for beyond the tarsus; the forepart of the foot.

Talus (astragalus): Latin (Greek) for one of a set of dice; viewed from above the main part of the talus has a rather square appearance.

Calcaneus: from the Greek for heel; the heel bone.

Navicular (scaphoid): Latin (Greek) for boat-shaped; the navicular bone roughly resembles a saucer-shaped coracle.

Cuboid: Greek for cube-shaped.

Cuneiform: Latin for wedge-shaped.

Phalanx: Greek for a row of soldiers; a row of bones in the toes. Plural phalanges.

Sesamoid: Greek for shaped like a sesame seed.

Digitus: Latin for finger or toe. Digiti and digitorum are the genitive singular and genitive plural -- of the toe(s).

Hallux: Latin for the great toe. Hallucis is the genitive singular -- of the great toe.

Dorsum: Latin for back; the upper surface of the foot. Adjective dorsal.

Plantar: adjective from planta, Latin for the sole of the foot.

 
WaterMark Bryn Mawr Foot & Ankle Clinic Chicago Podiatrist


©2005 Bryn Mawr Foot & Ankle Clinic • Disclaimer Privacy Policy