Foot Anatomy

The foot is an incredibly complex mechanism. This introduction to foot anatomy will not be exhaustive but rather highlight the important structures that relate to conditions and surgical procedures of the foot.

The anatomy of the foot is best described by dividing the foot into three locations: the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot. The various structures of the foot are further classified by tissue type: soft tissue, nail, and bone. The important anatomical structures of the foot can be divided into these basic categories:

• Foot Bones and Joints
• Foot Ligaments
• Foot Tendons
• Foot Muscles
• Foot Nerves
• Blood Vessels

Bones of the Foot

The skeleton of the foot begins with the talus, or ankle bone, that forms part of the ankle joint. The two bones of the lower leg, the large tibia and the smaller fibula, come together at the ankle to form a very stable structure known as a mortise and tenon joint.

The two bones that make up the back part of the foot (referred to as the hindfoot) are the talus and the calcaneus. This region of the foot is technically considered the ankle. The talus bone is connected to the calcaneus at the subtalar joint. The subtalar joint allows the foot to rock from side to side.

Just down from the ankle is a set of tarsal bones that work together as a group. These bones are unique in the way they fit together. The cuniforms and other tarsal bones are part of the midfoot. There are multiple joints between the tarsal bones. When the foot is twisted in one direction by the muscles of the foot and leg, these bones lock together and form a very rigid structure. When they are twisted in the opposite direction, they become unlocked, and the foot conforms to whatever surface it is contacting.

The tarsal bones are connected to the five long bones of the forefoot called the metatarsals. These two groups of bones are fairly rigidly connected, without much movement at the joints. The five metatarsal bones connect to a group of smaller bones called phalanges. The phalanges are the bones of the toes. Each separate toe bone is referred to as a phalanx.