Basic Foot and Ankle Anatomy - Bones and Ligaments

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Description

Ankle and foot injuries are fairly common not only with the athletes or as a result of sporting activities, but they occur during routine daily activities. The typical injuries include sprains, fractures, tears, and inflammation. Good knowledge of the foot and ankle anatomy is necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment.

The foot and ankle provide various important functions which include bodyweight support, balance maintenance, shock absorption, response to ground reaction forces, or substitution for hand function in individuals with upper extremity amputation.

The ankle is formed by three bones: talus, tibia and fibula. The anatomic structure of the foot consists of hindfoot, midfoot and forefoot, each composed of several bones.

Structure

Ankle Bones

The ankle is the junction of the lower leg and the foot. The osseous components of the ankle joint include the distal tibia, distal fibula, and talus.

The articular facet of the lateral malleolus (bony prominence on the lower fibula) forms the lateral border of the ankle joint. The articular facet of the medial malleolus (bony prominence on the lower tibia) forms the medial border of the joint. The superior portion of the ankle joint forms from the inferior articular surface of the tibia and the superior margin of the talus.