Bones of the Foot Flashcards

Explore the 26 bones of the foot, including the tarsals, metatarsals, phalanges, joints, arches, bony landmarks, and clinical anatomy.

Card 1 of 30Question

How many bones are normally present in the adult human foot?

26 bones, excluding variable accessory bones and sesamoid bones.

In This Section

1. How many bones are normally present in the adult human foot?

26 bones, excluding variable accessory bones and sesamoid bones.

2. What are the three major groups of bones in the foot?

Tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges.

3. How many tarsal bones are present in each foot?

Seven.

4. What are the seven tarsal bones?

Talus, calcaneus, navicular, cuboid, and medial, intermediate, and lateral cuneiforms.

5. Which tarsal bone articulates directly with the tibia and fibula?

The talus.

6. Which part of the talus forms the superior articular surface of the ankle joint?

The trochlea of the talus.

7. Which bone forms the main skeletal framework of the heel?

The calcaneus.

8. Which tarsal bone is the largest?

The calcaneus.

9. What is the sustentaculum tali?

A medial bony projection of the calcaneus that supports part of the talus.

10. Which tendon inserts into the posterior calcaneal tuberosity?

The calcaneal tendon, also called the Achilles tendon.

11. Which tarsal bone articulates with the head of the talus anteriorly?

The navicular bone.

12. Which muscle inserts primarily onto the navicular tuberosity?

The tibialis posterior muscle.

13. Which tarsal bone lies immediately anterior to the calcaneus on the lateral side?

The cuboid bone.

14. Which tendon passes through the plantar groove of the cuboid?

The fibularis longus tendon.

15. Which tarsal bones lie between the navicular and the first three metatarsals?

The medial, intermediate, and lateral cuneiform bones.

16. How many metatarsal bones are present in each foot?

Five, numbered from the great toe toward the little toe.

17. What are the three principal anatomical parts of a metatarsal bone?

Base, shaft, and head.

18. Which metatarsal is usually the shortest and thickest?

The first metatarsal.

19. Which metatarsal is typically the longest?

The second metatarsal.

20. Which muscle inserts onto the tuberosity of the fifth metatarsal?

The fibularis brevis muscle.

21. How many phalanges are normally present in each foot?

Fourteen.

22. How many phalanges form the great toe?

Two, the proximal and distal phalanges.

23. How many phalanges normally form each of the second through fifth toes?

Three, the proximal, middle, and distal phalanges.

24. Which bones form the subtalar joint?

The talus and calcaneus.

25. Which two joints form the transverse tarsal joint?

The talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints.

26. What are the three principal arches of the foot?

The medial longitudinal, lateral longitudinal, and transverse arches.

27. Which bone forms the keystone of the medial longitudinal arch?

The talus, particularly its head.

28. Which bones form the lateral longitudinal arch?

The calcaneus, cuboid, and fourth and fifth metatarsals.

29. Where are the two usual sesamoid bones of the great toe located?

On the plantar aspect of the first metatarsal head, within the flexor hallucis brevis tendons.

30. What is a Jones fracture?

A fracture at the metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction of the fifth metatarsal, distal to its tuberosity.