ARCHES OF FOOT

 

CHAPTER 12

ARCHES OF THE FOOT

For the entire video of arches of the foot, watch this video:

Arches of foot helps in

a)     Proportional distribution of body weight to the ground.

b)    Acts as segmented lever to help in propulsive mechanism.

Arches of foot are

a)     Longitudinal arch

b)    Transverse arch

Longitudinal arch – it is subdivided into medial and lateral arches

 

Medial longitudinal arch:

Bones forming the arch are: calcaneus, talus, navicular, three cuneiform and medial three meta tarsal bones up to their heads.

Summit of the arch – trochlear upper surface of talus

Posterior pillar – medial tubercle of calcaneus

Anterior pillar – heads of the medial three meta tarsal bones.

Most vulnerable part of the medial arch – head of talus – received in front by the concave surface of the navicular bone, below by the sustentaculum tali of the calcaneus and by the spring ligament between them.


Factors maintaining the medial longitudinal arch of foot:

a)     Shape of the bones- wedge shaped cuneiform bones and the head of the talus which acts as key stone

b)    Tie beams- medial part of plantar aponeurosis, abductor halucis, medial part of flexor digitorum brevis and longus tendon of flexor halucis longus, flexor halucis brevis.

c)     Intersegmental tiers: Spring ligament on the upper surface of which rests the head of talus.

d)    Sling and sustentacular: Tibialis anterior acts as sling and tibialis posterior acts as sustentacular support.

Lateral longitudinal arch

 

Bones forming the arch are; Calcaneus, cuboid, fourth and fifth metatarsal bones up to their heads.

Summit of the arch: Subtalar joint or upper surface of calcaneus

Posterior pillar: Medial tubercle of the calcaneus

Anterior pillar: Heads of the fourth and fifth metatarsal bones

Most vulnerable part of the arch: Calcaneocuboid joint


 

Factors maintaining the lateral longitudinal arch:

a)     Shape of the bones: Calcanean angle of cuboid maintains the upward tilt of the calcaneus

b)    Tie beams: lateral part of the plantar aponeurosis.

c)     Intersegmental tiers: The long and short plantar ligaments acts as tiers

d)    Sling and sustentacular: Tendons of peroneus brevis and tertius act as sling and tendon of peroneus longus act as sustentacular support.

Transverse arches

When the medial borders of both feet are approximated, a complete transverse arch is formed.

The transverse arches are made of a series of arches involving the bases of metatarsal bones, cuboid and three cuneiform bones.

Factors maintaining the transverse arches of foot:

a)     Shape of bones: wedge shaped cuneiform bones and bases of the middle three metatarsal bones.

b)    Tie beams: Tendons of peroneus longus and tibialis posterior

c) Intersegmental tiers: dorsal interossei, oblique and transverse heads of abductor hallucis muscles.

d)    Sling: tibialis anterior on medial side and peroneus brevis and terries on lateral side.

Applied anatomy

1)    Pes planus: t flat foot is caused by the abnormal distribution of body weight on to the arch such as rapid increased in body weight.

2)    Pes cavus: it is an exaggeration of the longitudinal arch of foot.

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