Anatomy study note · Lower limb

Tarsal bones

The seven bones of the hindfoot and midfoot: calcaneum, talus, navicular, cuboid and three cuneiforms. Only the talus articulates with the tibia and fibula.

Key points

• Calcaneum, talus, navicular, cuboid, 3 cuneiforms.
• Talus: only tarsal in the ankle joint; no muscles attach.
• Sustentaculum tali supports the talar head.
• Navicular tuberosity ← tibialis posterior; cuboid groove ← fibularis longus.
• Calcaneal fracture from a fall on the heels.
• Limb bones: limb-bud mesenchyme, endochondral (except clavicle).
• Bone: type I collagen + hydroxyapatite.
• Osteoblast builds, osteocyte maintains, osteoclast resorbs.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Features · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 1264–1270
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 7, PDF p. 98; ch. 10, PDF pp. 141, 145
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 7, PDF pp. 121–125, 130

More from the lower limb

• Tarsal joints and arches of the foot
• Tendo calcaneus
• Tensor fasciae latae
• Tibia
• Tibial nerve
• Tibialis anterior
• Tibialis posterior
• Tibiofibular joints
• Adductor brevis
• Adductor longus
• Adductor magnus
• Ankle joint

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