The feet have a very important function in the human body, they are responsible for supporting all the weight and suffering the daily impact of each step when you walk. They are made up of different bones and joints so that the mobility of the feet is possible, so it is essential to take care of them to walk without pain or other complications.
Humans have the ability to walk bipedally, contrary to what happens with other living beings, this is one of the most valued milestones in human evolution. Without bones, the feet of each person could not have this capacity and would not support the weight of the body. To discover how many foot bones do we have, in which parts they are divided and which has a higher risk of fracture, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
All the bones of the human body are important, but those of the feet allow walking in a bipedal way and represent another step in human evolution. To determine how many bones the human foot has, you must take into account all the parts that compose it: it consists of 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments.
And how many bones does the human body have? Well it has 206 bones in total and those found in the foot are part of them. The anatomy of the foot is divided into three parts: phalanges (forefoot), metatarsal (midfoot), and tarsus (hindfoot).
Phalanges
It is the area of the foot with the greatest number of bones, and this is because it is the area where the smallest bones of the fingers are found, making a total of 14.
In addition, the bones of the phalanges are the most articulable of each foot, since except for the big toe, which has two bones, in each toe there are 3 very small bones that facilitate movement when walking and running. The phalanges are made up of three sections: proximal, middle, and distal.
Metatarsus
The ball of the foot is the part of the foot where the longest bones meet. It is made up of different bones whose only function is to unite the phalanges (forefoot) with the tarsus (hindfoot). These joints are known as metatarsals. There is one metatarsal for each toe. The first is also the largest and joins the big toe with the first cuneiform bone (first short bone of the foot). The remaining bones of the metatarsal follow an identical distribution, thus joining each toe with its respective bone.
Tarsus
The tarsus is the part of the foot that connects with the ankle and the leg. In this area there are 7 bones that join the tibia and fibula with the surface of the foot. These bones are the following: 3 cuneiforms, the so-called calcaneus and known as the heel, the talus, the cuboid and the scaphoid. In the tarsus, the calcaneus is responsible for distributing all the impact that the bones receive when walking. The calcaneus is attached to the talus bone, which makes up the subtalar joint, responsible for providing stability to the foot. In addition, it allows support in the steps and aims that the feet can move back and forth, that is, pronation and supination. For its part, the three cuneiform bones (internal, middle and external) are also known as wedges, these are located in the tarsus and communicate with the metatarsal.
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Among the 26 bones found in each foot, some are more likely to fracture. In this sense, the most common fracture occurs in the calcaneus bone due to falls from heights or automobile accidents. They can be classified as extra-articular, that is, by pulling or avulsion of the bony insertion located in the Achilles tendon, and intra-articular (due to an impact).
The importance of the calcaneus bone in the foot requires surgical intervention every time it is fractured. Other common fractures in the bones of the foot include the following:
- Lisfranc fracture-dislocation: affects the junction between the midfoot and the forefoot. It is difficult to treat, as it usually requires surgery for recovery.
- Talus fracture: A forced dorsiflexion of the ankle is usually the main cause of this fracture. Depending on the type of tear, it may require conservative treatment or surgery.
- Phalanx fractures: These are usually caused by heavy objects falling on the foot. They can be cured with a cast or even without in mild cases.
- Metatarsal fracture: falling objects on the foot and domestic accidents are the most common causes of this fracture. The degree of the tear will determine whether conservative treatment is sufficient or requires surgery for healing.
- Stress fracture: constant overloads on some bones of the foot produce this type of break, especially in amateur athletes without adaptation to the sports practice started or with deformed feet. Stress fractures occur mainly in the ball of the foot.
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