Both of these structures are made up of small fibers of a material called collagen. The difference is that tendons attach muscles to bones. Ligament are the soft tissues that attach bones to bones. Finally, there are the bones of the toes, the phalanges. The two groups of bones are fairly rigidly connected, without much movement at the joints. The tarsal bones are connected to the five long bones of the foot called the metatarsals. When they are twisted in the opposite direction, they become unlocked and allow the foot to conform to whatever surface the foot is contacting. When the foot is twisted in one direction by the muscles of the foot and leg, these bones lock together and form a very rigid structure. There are multiple joints between the tarsal bones. They are unique in the way they fit together. The tarsal bones work together as a group.
Just down the foot from the ankle is a set of five bones called tarsal bones. The increased flexibility of the subtalar joint results in many compensatory actions of the foot and ankle in order to keep proper foot alignment during standing and walking. People with flatfeet usually have more motion at the subtalar joint than people who do not have flatfeet. The subtalar joint allows the foot to rock from side to side. The ankle joint allows the foot to bend up and down. The talus is connected to the calcaneus at the subtalar joint. The two bones that make up the back part of the foot (sometimes referred to as the hindfoot) are the talus and the calcaneus, or heel bone. The two bones of the lower leg, the large tibia and the smaller fibula, come together at the ankle joint to form a very stable structure known as a mortise and tenon joint. The skeleton of the foot begins with the talus, or ankle bone, that forms part of the ankle joint. A combination of malalignments results in the flatfoot appearance. With a flatfoot deformity, bones, ligaments, and muscles are all affected. When one part becomes damaged, it can affect every other part of the foot and lead to problems. When everything works together, the foot functions correctly. When both feet are involved, the condition is bilateral flatfeet.
When only one foot is affected, the problem is referred to as unilateral pes planus or flatfoot. The condition is often present at birth ( congenital) in one or both feet. The entire bottom of the bare foot is in contact with the floor or ground surface during standing, walking, and other weight bearing activities. A Patient's Guide to Congenital Flatfoot Deformity (Pes Planus)< A Patient's Guide to Congenital Flatfoot (Pes Planus) in Children Introductionįlatfeet (also known as pes planus) describes a condition in which the longitudinal (lengthwise) and/or medial (crosswise) arches of the foot are dropped down or flat.