The Foot
Foot (fʊt)
The Foot is a complex anatomical structure found in many vertebrates, including humans. It is the lower extremity of the leg below the ankle, on which a person stands or walks.
Etymology
The term "foot" comes from the Old English fōt, from Proto-Germanic *fōts, from Proto-Indo-European *pṓds.
Anatomy
The human foot consists of 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The foot can be divided into three parts: the forefoot, the midfoot, and the hindfoot.
- The Forefoot includes the five toes (phalanges) and the five longer bones (metatarsals).
- The Midfoot is a pyramid-like collection of bones that form the arches of the feet. These include the three cuneiform bones, the cuboid bone, and the navicular bone.
- The Hindfoot is composed of the talus bone or ankle bone and the calcaneus bone or heel bone. The two long bones of the lower leg, the tibia and fibula, are connected to the top of the talus to form the ankle.
Related Terms
- Ankle: The joint connecting the foot with the leg.
- Heel: The back part of the human foot below the ankle.
- Toe: Any of the five digits at the end of the human foot.
- Arch of the foot: The curved part of the foot between the heel and the toes, which includes the bones and tendons that support the foot.
- Plantar Fasciitis: A common cause of heel pain involving inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes.
See Also
- Podiatry: The medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg.
- Orthopedics: The medical specialty that focuses on injuries and diseases of your body's musculoskeletal system, which includes the feet.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on The Foot
- Wikipedia's article - The Foot
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