Interphalangeal Ligaments

We just learned about the Metatarsal Ligaments.

Another set of connective tissue is the Interphalangeal Ligaments.

These are the ligaments that go underneath (plantar) and on the sides (collateral) of each toe.


(from: wikipedia - interphalangeal joints of foot)


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Metatarsal Ligaments

We just learned about the Distal Intertarsal Ligaments.

Another group of connective tissue in the foot is called the Metatarsal ligaments.

The metatarsal bones are the long bones in your foot between your ankle and your toes.
There are five metatarsal bones, one for each toe.

The metatarsals have ligaments connecting them to the ankle bones, to each other, and to the toe bones.


- Tarsometatarsal - Connects the tarsus (ankle) to the metatarsals (foot) on plantar (bottom) and dorsal (top).

- Intermetatarsal - Connects the metatarsal (foot) bones to themselves, on dorsal (top), plantar (bottom) and interosseous (in between) and transverse (across).

- Metatarsophalangeal - Connects the metatarsal (foot) bones to the phalanges (toe) bones, on plantar (bottom) and side (collateral).


(from: wikipedia - tarsometatarsal joints)


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Distal Intertarsal Ligaments

We just learned about the Transverse Tarsal Ligaments.

Another group of ligaments in the foot is the Distal Intertarsal Ligaments.

Just like the transverse tarsal ligaments, these connect the foot bones in your foot together.
Even though your foot is not that big, there are seven bones from your heel to the middle of your foot, and that doesn't even include the longer bones in your foot that connect to your toes!

The distal intertarsal ligaments connect the bones that are past your heel and your main foot bone. The 3 cuneiform bones, the navicular bone and the cuboid bone are the smaller bones right before the longer metatarsal bones in your foot.

They are named for plantar (bottom), dorsal (top) or inter/interosseous (in between).
Cuneonavicular - Connects your cuneiform to navicular. (plantar and dorsal)
Cuboideonavicular - Connects your cuboid to navicular. (plantar and dorsal)
Intercuneiform - Connects your 3 cuneiform bones together. (plantar, dorsal and interosseous)


(from: wikipedia - plantar calcaneonavicular)


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Transverse Tarsal Ligaments

We just learned about the Talocalcaneal Ligaments.

Another bunch of ligaments are the Transverse Tarsal Ligaments.

These are the ligaments that tie a bunch of foot bones together:
- Calcaneus: heel bone
- Talus: ankle bone
- Navicularis: top of foot bone
- Cuboid: outside of foot bone

Remember the location words, like dorsal means on top, plantar means on bottom, bifurcated means split into two.

There are 7 ligaments that tie all these together.
- dorsal talonavicular: Connects the talus to the navicularis on the top.
- plantar calcaneonavicular: Connects the calcaneus to the navicularis on the bottom.
- bifurcated (calcaneonavicular): Splits into two and connects the calcaneus to the navicularis in the middle.
- dorsal calcaneocuboid: Connects the calcaneus to the cuboid on the top.
- long plantar: Connects the calcaneus to the cuboid on the bottom. It is the longest of the foot ligaments.
- plantar calcaneocuboid: Connects the calcaneus to the cuboid on the bottom. It is shorter than the long plantar and connects at a different spot.
- bifurcated (calcaneocuboid): Splits into two and connects the calcaneus to the cuboid bone in the middle.


(from: wikipedia - plantar calacneonavicular ligament)


(from: wikipedia - navicular bone)


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Talocalcaneal Ligaments

We just learned about the Talocrural and Ankle Ligaments.

Another group of ligaments are the Subtalar and Talocalcaneal Ligaments.

The talus and calcaneus are two of the seven ankle and foot bones.
The talus is the middle foot bone, and the calcaneus is the heel.

Posterior is for back, anterior is for front, lateral is for outside, medial is for inside, and interossus is for in between.
There five talocalcaneal ligaments: anterior, posterior, lateral, medial and interosseous


(from: wikipedia - anterior talocalcaneal ligament)


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Talocrural and ankle ligaments

We just learned about the Inferior Tibiofibular Joint connecting the tibia to the fibula.

Another set of ligaments are the Talocrural and ankle ligaments.
These connect the tibia and fibula of the lower leg to the talus, navicular and calcaneus bones of the foot.

There are a bunch of ligaments in this area to make sure your ankle works right, and all the bones are tied together.

They all have big names, but they make sense based on the two bones they are connecting:

tibiotalar (anterior/posterior) - connects the tibia (shin bone) to the talus (middle foot bone)
tibiocalcaneal - connects the tibia to the calcaneus (heel bone)
tibionavicular - connects the tibia to the navicular (foot bone)
talofibular (anterior/posterior) - connects the fibula (inside lower leg bone) to the talus
calcaneofibular - connects the fibula to the calcaneus


(from: wikipedia - calcaneofibular ligament)


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Dorsal venous arch

We just learned about the Metatarsal Veins.

Another vein on your foot that brings deoxygenated blood back to your heart is called the dorsal venous arch.

This vein is on the top of your foot, going across from the left to the right.
Sometimes you can see this vein puffed up a little on top of the foot. It looks like a blue colored tube under your skin.

(from: wikipedia - dorsal venous arch of the foot)


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Metatarsal Veins

We just learned about the digital veins in the foot that bring used up deoxygenated blood from the toes back toward the heart.

After the digital veins, the blood goes to the metatarsal veins.

There are two, the dorsal and plantar.
Dorsal is on the top of your foot, like the dorsal fin is on the top of a dolphin's back.
And plantar is on the bottom, like when you stomp your foot sometimes that is called planting your foot.


(from: wikipedia - plantar metatarsal veins)


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Plantar and Dorsal digital veins

So we know that the arteries bring the oxygenated blood from the heart all the way to the toes.
And the veins take the oxygenated blood from the toes and bring it back to the heart.

The arteries in the foot we learned about were the Plantar and Dorsal Digital Arteries

Just like you might guess, the veins are called Plantar and Dorsal Digital Veins.

(from: wikipedia - dorsal digital veins of the foot)


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Plantar and Dorsal Digital Arteries

After the metatarsal arteries of the foot, the last arteries are the digital arteries.

There are two sets, the plantar digital arteries on the bottom of the foot, and the dorsal digital arteries on the top of the foot.

(from: wikipedia - common plantar digital arteries)


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Metatarsal Arteries

We learned that the arteries on the tarsus ankle area of the foot are called the tarsal arteries

After the tarsal arteries, the oxygenated blood goes to the metatarsal arteries.
The long bones of your foot between your toes and ankle are called your metatarsal bones.

You have two sets of metatarsal arteries, the plantar metatarsal arteries on the bottom of your foot, and the dorsal metatarsal arteries on the top of your foot.



(from: wikipedia - plantar metatarsal arteries)


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Tarsal Arteries

We just learned about the Dorsalis Pedis Artery.

Remember that the large bones in your foot and ankle are called your tarsus.

The two main arteries that supply blood to that part of your foot are the medial tarsal artery and the lateral tarsal artery.

They are on either side of your foot by the ankle.
The medial one is on same side as your big toe is on, and the lateral one is the same side as your pinky toe.

(from: wikipedia - medial tarsal arteries)


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Dorsalis Pedis Artery

We've learned that the plantar arteries give blood to the bottom of the foot.

For the top of the foot, right at the ankle, the tibial artery turns into the Dorsalis Pedis Artery.

You can sometimes see this artery on the top of your foot, and it goes all the way down to between your two biggest toes.


(from: wikipedia - dorsalis pedis artery)


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Plantar Arteries

We've learned about the fibular and tibial arteries that bring oxygenated blood down the lower leg and ankle.

Those arteries connect to the bottom of the foot where you have two plantar arteries called the medial plantar artery and lateral plantar artery.

The medial plantar artery goes along from your heel area to your big toe.
The lateral plantar artery makes a big arc from your heel, over to the outside of your foot, and then curves back toward your big toe.


(from: wikipedia - lateral plantar artery)


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Plantar foot muscles

We just learned about the dorsal foot muscles, that are mostly responsible for lifting your toes up.

The foot muscles you use for scrunching your toes down are called the plantar foot muscles.
There are ten of them, with really big long names!

The big one that moves your big toe is called the abductor hallucis.


(from: wikipedia - abductor hallucis)



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Dorsal Foot Muscles

We just learned about the Palmar Interossei Hand Muscles.

There are a lot of muscles in the foot, just to help you walk and keep your balance!

The first group of foot muscles we'll talk about are the dorsal foot muscles.

They have really fancy names extensor digitorum brevis and extensor hallucis brevis,
but you can just call them dorsal muscles.

They are used to help you straighten your toes, or lift them up toward your face.

(from: wikipedia - extensor digitorum brevis muscle)


(from: wikipedia - extensor hallucis brevis muscle)



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Foot Phalanges

We just learned about the Metatarsus bones in the foot.

We learned a while back about the three types of phalanges in the hand:
proximal, intermediate and distal.

The toe bones are also named phalanges, and they have the same parts as the finger bones.

(from: wikipedia - phalanges of the foot)

Metatarsus

We just learned about the Tarsus.

The foot bones that make up the long part of your foot before your toes,
are called your Metatarsus or Metatarsal Bones.

(from: wikipedia - metatarsus)

There are five of them, just like the Metacarpals in your hand,
numbered one through five starting on the side of your big toe and going toward your pinky toe.

Tarsus

The tarsus is the name used for the bones in your ankle
that connect from your tibia and fibula to your main foot bones.

(from: wikipedia - tarsus (skeleton)

The seven bones are:
A - Calcaneus
B - Talus
C - Cuboid
D - Navicular
E, F, G - Cuneiform bones

The calcaneus bone is the large bone that makes up the heel of your foot.