The Ankle The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot.[1] The articulation between the tibia and the talus bears more weight than between the smaller fibula and the talus.

Movement of the Ankle The ankle joint is responsible for dorsiflexion (moving the toes up as when standing only on the heels) and plantar flexion of the foot (moving the toes down, as when standing on the toes), and allows for the greatest movement of all the joints in the foot. The ankle does not allow rotation.

-Heaviest and longest bone in the skeleton -Average length = 18 inches or twice the length of the skull. -Made up of the shaft and two atricular ends -Proximal end =head/neck ( ball and socket joint) -Neck is an oblique offshoot of the shaft that supports head. -Great Trochanter is at summit of femoral shaft. -Linea apsera bifurcates both above and below toward the bones end. - The femur is a long bone whose axis of movement is well outside of its substance for most of its length. Indeed, the important relationship of leg anatomy is that a line drawn from the the hip center to the ankle center passes right through knee center.

1. Greater trochanter 2. Piriformis Fosa 3. Femoral head 4.Fovea of femoral head 5. Femoral Neck 6. Lesser trochanter 7.Intertrochanteric region 8.Subtrochanteric region 9.Femoral Shaft 10.Supracondylar region 11.Lateral Epicondyle 12.Lateral Condyle of Femur 13.Trochear groove 14.Medial Condyle of Femur 15.Medial epicondyle 16.Adductor tubercle

The Foot

-The forefoot includes the five metatarsal bones, and the phalanges -The first metatarsal bone bears the most weight and plays the most important role in propulsion. It is the shortest and thickest.It also provides attachment for several tendons. -The second, third, and fourth metatarsal bones are the most stable of the metatarsals. They are well protected and have only minor tendon attachments and are not subjected to strong pulling forces. -Near the head of the first metatarsal, on the plantar surface of the foot, are two sesamoid bones. -The talus and the calcaneus make up the hindfoot. The calcaneus is the largest tarsal bone, and forms the heel. The talus rests on top of it, and forms the pivot of the ankle. - The sole of the foot from the heel to the base of the big toe measures about One head length.

Foot and Toe movement -Toe movements take place at the joints. These joints are capable of motion in two directions: plantar flexion or dorsiflexion. In addition, the joints permit abduction and adduction of the toes. The foot as a whole (excluding the toes) has two movements: invertion and evertion. All the joints of the hindfoot and midfoot from the subtalar contribute to these movements, which are complex and consist of several components.In addition,foot movements ordinarily are combined with ankle movements. Plantar: Pertaining to the sole of the foot. Plantar Fascia: The tight band of muscle beneath the arch of the foot. Plantar Fasciaitis: Inflammation of the plantar fascia; associated with overuse of acute foot injury. Plantarflexion: Ankle motion such that the toes are pointed toward the ground. Pronation: In the foot, it is a combination of motions resulting in a position such that the foot is abducted and everted. Foot pronation can be a by-product of an arch problem, leg length discrepancy, or chronically bad running mechanics; can be compromised with the use of an orthotic. In the hand, pronation is movement of the forearm into a palm down position.

The foot has two important functions: weight bearing and propulsion. These functions require a high degree of stability. In addition, the foot must be flexible, so it can adapt to uneven surfaces. The multiple bones and joints of the foot give it flexibility, but these multiple bones must form an arch to support any weight. The foot has three arches. The medial longitudinal arch is the highest and most important of the three arches. It is composed of the calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuneiforms, and the first three metatarsals. The lateral longitudinal arch is lower and flatter than the medial arch. It is composed of the calcaneus, cuboid, and the fourth and fifth metatarsals. The transverse arch is composed of the cuneiforms, the cuboid, and the five metatarsal bases. The arches of the foot are maintained not only by the shapes of the bones as well as by ligaments. In addition, muscles and tendons play an important role in supporting the arches. The Arches

Muscles and Bones 26 bones (One-quarter of the bones in the human body are in the feet.); 33 joints; more than 100 muscles, tendons (fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones), and ligaments (fibrous tissues that connect bones to other bones); and a network of blood vessels, nerves, skin, and soft tissue. There are 20 muscles in the foot that give the foot its shape by holding the bones in position and expand and contract to impart movement. The main muscles of the foot are: the anterior tibial, which enables the foot to move upward; the posterior tibial, which supports the arch; the peroneal tibial, which controls movement on the outside of the ankle; the extensors, which help the ankle raise the toes to initiate the act of stepping forward; and the flexors, which help stabilize the toes against the ground

The Tibia The shinbone Takes part in the joint of the knee Composed of 3 parts –The Proximal end –The shaft –The Distal End

Proximal End The head of the tibia Supports the weight of the femur Parts; –Intercondylar eminence –Medial condyle –Lateral condyle –Articular surfaces –Tuberosity of the tibia

The Shaft Contains a double curve Triangular in its cross sections of curves Parts; –The posterior surface –Interosseous crest –Medial Margin –Anterior Crest Rises from the tuberosity Divides front of tibia into lateral and medial surfaces Known as the shin

The Distal End Four sided Flat front and back surfaces Parts; –Fibular notch Receives the fibula –Medial Malleolus Extension of the medial surface

The Fibula Corresponding height to Tibia Dropped below the Tibia to fit into the Medial Malleolus Parts –Proximal End –Shaft –Distal End

Proximal End The Head of the Fibula Joins the lateral surface of the head of the tibia to the rear

The Shaft Triangular in cross section Narrow, Consistent in width Four Borders –The Antero-external –The Antero-internal –The postero-external –The postero-internal Four surfaces –The anterior surface –The external surface –The internal surface –The posterior surface

Distal End Resembles the head in size, but is more flattened Fits into the fibular notch of tibia (the nose) Parts; –Lateral Malleolus Corresponding part to tibial medial malleolus Drops below the tibia to fit