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In humans, the calcaneus or heel bone is a bone of the tarsus
Tarsus (skeleton)

In tetrapods, the tarsus are the cluster of bones in the foot between the tibia and fibula and the metatarsus. The bones of the tarsus do not belong to individual toes, whereas those of the metatarsus do....
 of the foot
Foot

The foot is an anatomical structure found in many animals. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws or nails....
 which constitute the heel
Heel

The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human_leg....
. In some other animals, it is the point of the hock
Hock (zoology)

The hock, or gambrel, is the tarsal joint of a digitigrade quadruped, such as a horse, cat, or dog. It is the anatomical Homology of the ankle of the human foot....
.

Human anatomy
In humans, the calcaneus is the largest of the tarsal bones and the largest bone of the foot. In it, several important structures can be distinguished:

The posterior half of the bone is the tuber calcanei.






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In humans, the calcaneus or heel bone is a bone of the tarsus
Tarsus (skeleton)

In tetrapods, the tarsus are the cluster of bones in the foot between the tibia and fibula and the metatarsus. The bones of the tarsus do not belong to individual toes, whereas those of the metatarsus do....
 of the foot
Foot

The foot is an anatomical structure found in many animals. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws or nails....
 which constitute the heel
Heel

The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human_leg....
. In some other animals, it is the point of the hock
Hock (zoology)

The hock, or gambrel, is the tarsal joint of a digitigrade quadruped, such as a horse, cat, or dog. It is the anatomical Homology of the ankle of the human foot....
.

Human anatomy


In humans, the calcaneus is the largest of the tarsal bones and the largest bone of the foot. In it, several important structures can be distinguished:

The posterior half of the bone is the tuber calcanei. On its lower edge on either sides are its lateral and medial processes (serving as the origins of the abductor hallucis
Abductor hallucis muscle

The Abductor hallucis lies along the medial border of the foot and covers the origins of the Posterior tibial artery and nerves.It arises from the medial process of the tuberosity of the calcaneus, from the laciniate ligament, from the plantar aponeurosis, and from the intermuscular septum between it and the Flexor digitorum brevis....
 and abductor digit minimi). The Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon

The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone....
 is inserted into a roughened area on its superior side, the cuboid bone
Cuboid bone

The cuboid bone is one of seven tarsus bones....
 articulates with its anterior side, and on its superior side are three articular surfaces for the articulation with the talus bone
Talus bone

The talus bone or astragalus is a bone in the tarsus of the foot that forms the lower part of the ankle joint through its articulations with the Lateral malleolus and Medial malleolus of the two bones of the lower leg, the tibia and fibula....
. Between these superior articulations and the equivalents on the talus is the tarsal sinus (a canal occupied by the interosseous talocalcaneal ligament
Interosseous talocalcaneal ligament

The interosseous talocalcaneal ligament forms the chief bond of union between the bones.It is, in fact, a portion of the united capsules of the talocalcaneonavicular and the talocalcaneal joints, and consists of two partially united layers of fibers, one belonging to the former and the other to the latter joint....
). On the medial side of the bone, below the middle talar facet, is the sustentaculum tali
Sustentaculum tali

At the upper and forepart of the medial surface of the calcaneus is a horizontal eminence, the sustentaculum tali, which gives attachment to the plantar calcaneo-navicular ligament, tibiocalcaneal ligament, and medial talocalcaneal ligament....
 (which serves for the attachment of several other ligaments). On the lateral side is commonly a tubercle called the peroneal trochlea
Trochlear process

The two oblique grooves of the lateral surface of the calcaneus are separated by an elevated ridge, or tubercle, the trochlear process , which varies much in size in different bones....
, under which is a groove for the tendon of the peroneus longus.

In the calcaneus, an ossification center is develped during the 4-7th intrauterine month.

With normal axial alignment in the hindfoot, the axes of the tibia and calcaneus lie on a vertical line (pes rectus). If the calcaneal axis is turned medially the foot is in an everted position (pes valgus), and if it is tuned laterally the foot is an inverted position (pes varus).

Horse

The calcaneus has two articulations, being part of the Proximal intertarsal joint and the Talocalcaneal joint. As in humans it is the insertion
Insertion

Insertion may refer to:*Insertion , the point of attachment of a tendon or ligament onto the skeleton or other part of the body*Insertion , the addition of DNA into a genetic sequence...
 of the gastrocnemius and superficial digital flexor tendons. The point of the calcaneus is covered by the calcanean bursa
Bursa (anatomy)

A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac made of white fibrous tissue and lined with synovial membrane. It provides a cushion between bones and tendons and/or muscles around a joint; bursae are filled with synovial fluid and are found around almost every major joint of the body; when they become inflamed, the condition is called bursitis....
.

See also

  • Calcar
    Calcar

    The calcar, also known as the calcaneum , is the name given to a spur of cartilage arising from inner side of ankle and running along part of outer interfemoral membrane in bats , this is to help spread the interfemoral membrane , which is part of the wing membrane between the tail and the hind legs....
  • Bone terminology
    Bone

    Bones are rigid organ that form part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They function to move, support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red blood cell and white blood cells and store minerals....
  • Calcaneal fracture
    Calcaneal fracture

    Calcaneal fracture, also known as Lover's fracture and Don Juan fracture, is a fracture of the calcaneus. It usually caused by a fall from height....
    , also known as Lover's fracture and Don Juan fracture
  • Terms for anatomical location


Additional images


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