Ankle, Foot, & Lower Leg Anatomy Quiz

Ankle, Foot, and Lower Leg Anatomy

• Phalanges (toe bones)
• Metatarsals (long bones in the foot)
• Cuneiforms (3): Lateral, Intermediate, Medial
• Navicular (small bone in the foot)
• Cuboid (bone in the foot)
• Talus (ankle bone)
• Calcaneus (heel bone)
• Tibia (shin bone)
• Fibula (outer lower leg bone)

Muscles

• Popliteus
• Plantaris
• Gastrocnemius
• Soleus
• Tibialis
• Peroneals
• Hallucis longus
• Digitorum (anterior/posterior) (extensor/flexor)

Ligaments

• Deltoid
• Anterior talofibular
• Posterior talofibular
• Calcaneofibular
• Anterior tibiofibular
• Posterior tibiofibular
• Interosseous membrane

Arches of the Foot

• Metatarsal arch (runs with the "ball" of the foot)
• Lateral longitudinal (along the outside of the foot)
• Transverse (in the mid-foot, in front of the heel)
• Medial longitudinal (along the inside of the foot)

Movement of the Foot

• Flexion
• Extension
• Abduction
• Adduction
• Pronation
• Supination
• Flexion (plantar flexion)
• Extension (dorsiflexion)
• Inversion
• Eversion

Injuries and Conditions

• Turf toe (sprain of the ligaments supporting the great toe, usually in the Metatarsophalangeal joint)
• Signs and symptoms: pain during push-off, point tenderness and pain, swelling, possible ecchymosis
• Arch Sprains and Strains (stretching of the ligaments that hold the bones of the foot in place)
• Signs and symptoms: pain, swelling, possible ecchymosis
• Compartment Syndrome (injury most commonly occurs in the anterior compartment)
• Signs and symptoms: pain and swelling, recent chronic or acute injury to the lower leg, loss of sensation or function, loss of pulse, inability to extend the great toe or dorsiflex the foot

Management of Injuries

• PRICE (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate)
• Pharmacological management (NSAIDs, pain relievers, topical analgesics)
• Support and rehabilitation (braces, therapeutic exercise)

Ankle Sprains

• May be Lateral, Medial, or Syndesmotic
• Signs and symptoms: hear or feel a snap or pop, swelling, ecchymosis, point tenderness and pain, loss of function
• Diagnostic tests: Compression/Bump, Anterior Drawer, Posterior Drawer, Talar/calcaneal Tilt, Kliger's Grades of Ankle Sprains (1st, 2nd, 3rd degree)

Shin Splints

• Also called Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS)
• Signs and symptoms: pain over the anterior portion of the lower leg, point tenderness, possibly noticeable swelling
• Causes: stress in the medial longitudinal arch, inflammation of the interosseous membrane, strain to the soleus or tibialis anterior

Achilles Tendinopathy

• Causes: overuse, muscle imbalance, inflexibility, arch problems, sudden movement
• Signs and symptoms: change in training patterns, pain, swelling, stiffness, weakness
• Can range from mild strains to complete ruptures