Advanced Talus Quiz

Q1. Why are displaced talar neck fractures associated with avascular necrosis of the talar body?

• The calcaneal tendon supplies the talus
• Fracture displacement can disrupt vessels supplying the talar body
• The talar body is supplied only through the navicular
• The talus normally has no blood supply

Q2. Which artery provides an important contribution to the talar body through the artery of the tarsal canal?

• Inferior mesenteric artery
• Radial artery
• Femoral artery directly
• Posterior tibial artery

Q3. Which arterial source contributes to the talar neck and sinus tarsi region from the lateral side?

• Ulnar and radial arteries
• Perforating fibular and dorsalis pedis arterial branches
• Superior gluteal artery only
• Posterior intercostal arteries

Q4. What is the anatomical basis of Hawkins sign after a talar neck fracture?

• Calcification of the Achilles tendon
• Fracture of the navicular tuberosity
• Immediate fusion of the ankle joint
• Subchondral resorption indicating preserved talar vascularity

Q5. Why can a fracture of the lateral process of the talus be mistaken for an ankle sprain?

• It never causes swelling or tenderness
• It produces lateral ankle pain in a region similar to ligament injuries
• It is located in the great toe
• It occurs only with knee dislocation

Q6. What is an os trigonum in relation to the talus?

• An accessory ossicle posterior to the talus
• A fracture of the medial cuneiform in every case
• A sesamoid under the first metatarsal head
• A duplicated navicular

Q7. Why can the posterior talar process or an os trigonum become symptomatic during repeated plantarflexion?

• The talar head dislocates into the knee
• The first metatarsal enters the ankle mortise
• The Achilles tendon passes through the talar body
• Posterior structures can be compressed during plantarflexion

Q8. How does the talus distribute weight through the hindfoot?

• It distributes tibial load toward both the calcaneus and navicular
• It transfers weight directly to the phalanges without intervening bones
• It bypasses the calcaneus completely
• It transmits all load only to the fifth metatarsal

Q9. Why does talar malalignment after fracture have major functional consequences?

• Its only articulation is with the navicular
• The talus is not involved in weight bearing
• Its extensive articular relationships make joint congruity highly sensitive to malalignment
• The talus has no articular cartilage

Q10. Which statement best integrates the anatomy of the talus?

• It is a metatarsal supporting the great toe
• It is a nonarticular sesamoid within the plantar fascia
• It is the central weight-transmitting tarsal linking the leg, hindfoot, and midfoot through multiple articular surfaces
• It is the main heel bone receiving the Achilles tendon