In the non-weight-bearing leg, the tibialis anterior dorsiflexes the foot and lift its medial edge ( supination). Anterior groupĮxtensor group: the tibialis anterior originates on the proximal half of the tibia and the interosseous membrane and is inserted near the tarsometatarsal joint of the first digit. The tibia and fibula and the interosseous membrane separate these muscles into anterior and posterior groups, in their turn subdivided into subgroups and layers. The muscles acting on the foot can be classified into extrinsic muscles, those originating on the anterior or posterior aspect of the lower leg, and intrinsic muscles, originating on the dorsal (top) or plantar (base) aspects of the foot.Īll muscles originating on the lower leg except the popliteus muscle are attached to the bones of the foot. Excessive strain on the tendons and ligaments of the feet can result in fallen arches or flat feet. The two longitudinal arches serve as pillars for the transverse arch which run obliquely across the tarsometatarsal joints. With the cuboid serving as its keystone, it redistributes part of the weight to the calcaneus and the distal end of the fifth metatarsal. In contrast, the lateral longitudinal arch is very low. This arch stretches from the heel bone over the 'keystone' ankle bone to the three medial metatarsals. As can be examined in a footprint, the medial longitudinal arch curves above the ground. The slight mobility of these arches when weight is applied to and removed from the foot makes walking and running more economical in terms of energy. The human foot has two longitudinal arches and a transverse arch maintained by the interlocking shapes of the foot bones, strong ligaments, and pulling muscles during activity. The instep is the arched part of the top of the foot between the toes and the ankle. īoth the midfoot and forefoot constitute the dorsum (the area facing upward while standing) and the planum (the area facing downward while standing). The joints between the phalanges are called interphalangeal and those between the metatarsus and phalanges are called metatarsophalangeal (MTP). Similar to the fingers of the hand, the bones of the toes are called phalanges and the big toe has two phalanges while the other four toes have three phalanges each. The forefoot is composed of five toes and the corresponding five proximal long bones forming the metatarsus. The midfoot is connected to the hind- and fore-foot by muscles and the plantar fascia. The five irregular bones of the midfoot, the cuboid, navicular, and three cuneiform bones, form the arches of the foot which serves as a shock absorber. Connected to the talus at the subtalar joint, the calcaneus, the largest bone of the foot, is cushioned underneath by a layer of fat. The two long bones of the lower leg, the tibia and fibula, are connected to the top of the talus to form the ankle. The hindfoot is composed of the talus (or ankle bone) and the calcaneus (or heel bone). The foot can be subdivided into the hindfoot, the midfoot, and the forefoot: An anthropometric study of 1197 North American adult Caucasian males (mean age 35.5 years) found that a man's foot length was 26.3 cm with a standard deviation of 1.2 cm. The joints of the foot are the ankle and subtalar joint and the interphalangeal joints of the foot. The human foot is a strong and complex mechanical structure containing 26 bones, 33 joints (20 of which are actively articulated), and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A woman's foot, decorated with nail polish and henna, and wearing a metti ( toe ring) on the second toe, for her wedding

Foot actio.