DORSUM OF FOOT

The bones of the foot provide mechanical support for the soft tissues; helping the foot withstand the weight of the body whilst standing and in motion.

They can be divided into three groups:

• Tarsals – a set of seven irregularly shaped bones. They are situated proximally in the foot in the ankle area.
• Metatarsals – connect the phalanges to the tarsals. There are five in number – one for each digit.
• Phalanges – the bones of the toes. Each toe has three phalanges – proximal, intermediate, and distal (except the big toe, which only has two phalanges).

The foot can also be divided up into three regions: (i) Hindfoot – talus and calcaneus; (ii) Midfoot – navicular, cuboid, and cuneiforms; and (iii) Forefoot – metatarsals and phalanges.

In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the bones of the foot – their bony landmarks, articulations, and clinical correlations.