Bones of the Foot

We talk a lot about the bones of the foot at Integrity Foot & Ankle Associates in Lorain. As podiatrists, we often perform surgeries and help people to recover from broken bones and other problems in their foot structure. We recognize that patients are more confident making decisions about their care when they feel comfortable with the language used in the office, so we wanted to briefly describe where each bone of the foot is and what they’re called.

The talus is the bone at the top of the ankle that the leg bones, the tibia and fibula, connect to. Below it is the calcaneus, or heel bone. In between the back of the foot and the mid-section are the tarsals, which form the curved ramp that is the foot’s arch. They are the navicular, which is in front of the talus, the cuboid, which is in front of the calcaneus on the outer side of the foot, and the three cuneiforms, which are in front of the navicular and, along with the cuboid, form a crescent-shape when seen from above.

The middle of the foot is made up of the five metatarsal bones. They are long and thin, with one connecting to each cuneiform and leading to the first three toes, and the remaining two connecting with the cuboid and leading to the outer two toes. The toes themselves are made up of bones called phalanges, with the big toe having two and the others each having three. The phalanges furthest back toward the metatarsals are called “proximal,” and the ones at the tips of the toes are called “distal.” The ball of the foot is where the proximal phalanges and metatarsals connect.

Doctors David J. Hintz and Michael A. Wenowitz run Integrity Foot & Ankle Associates at 1740 Cooper Foster Park Road #B, Lorain, Ohio, 44053. To schedule an appointment, visit Integrity Foot and Ankle or call 440-282-1221.