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Metatarsus
 
 
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The metatarsus consists of the five long bone
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....
s 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 are numbered from the medial
Anatomical terms of location

Standard anatomical terms of location are employed in sciences dealing with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities which might otherwise arise....
 side (ossa metatarsalia I.-V.); each presents for examination a body and two extremities. These are analogous to the metacarpus
Metacarpus

The metacarpus is the intermediate part of the hand skeleton that is located between the phalanges distally and the carpus which forms the connection to the forearm....
 bones of the hand
Hand

The hands are the two intricate, prehensile, multi-fingered body parts normally located at the end of each arm of a human or other primate. They are the chief organs for physically manipulating the environment, using anywhere from the roughest motor skills to the finest , and since the fingertips contain some of the densest areas of nerve e...
.

Specifically, the bones are:










base of each metatarsal bone articulates with one or more of the tarsal bones, and the head with one of the first row of phalanges.



metatarsal bones are often broken by football
Football

File:Football4.pngFootball is the word given to a number of similar team sports, all of which involve kicking a ball with the foot in an attempt to score a Goal ....
 players.






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Encyclopedia


The metatarsus consists of the five long bone
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....
s 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 are numbered from the medial
Anatomical terms of location

Standard anatomical terms of location are employed in sciences dealing with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities which might otherwise arise....
 side (ossa metatarsalia I.-V.); each presents for examination a body and two extremities. These are analogous to the metacarpus
Metacarpus

The metacarpus is the intermediate part of the hand skeleton that is located between the phalanges distally and the carpus which forms the connection to the forearm....
 bones of the hand
Hand

The hands are the two intricate, prehensile, multi-fingered body parts normally located at the end of each arm of a human or other primate. They are the chief organs for physically manipulating the environment, using anywhere from the roughest motor skills to the finest , and since the fingertips contain some of the densest areas of nerve e...
.

Specifically, the bones are:
  • First metatarsal bone
    First metatarsal bone

    The first metatarsal bone is the bone in the body of the foot just behind the big toe.It is remarkable for its great thickness, and is the shortest of the metatarsal bones....
  • Second metatarsal bone
    Second metatarsal bone

    The second metatarsal bone is the longest of the metatarsal bones, being prolonged backward into the recess formed by the three cuneiform bones....
  • Third metatarsal bone
    Third metatarsal bone

    The third metatarsal bone articulates proximally, by means of a triangular smooth surface, with the third cuneiform; medially, by two facets, with the second metatarsal; and laterally, by a single facet, with the fourth metatarsal....
  • Fourth metatarsal bone
    Fourth metatarsal bone

    The fourth metatarsal bone is smaller in size than the third; its base presents an oblique quadrilateral surface for articulation with the Cuboid bone; a smooth facet on the medial side, divided by a ridge into an anterior portion for articulation with the third metatarsal, and a posterior portion for articulation with the third cuneiform; on...
  • Fifth metatarsal bone
    Fifth metatarsal bone

    The fifth metatarsal bone is recognized by a rough eminence, the tuberosity, on the lateral side of its base.The base articulates behind, by a triangular surface cut obliquely in a transverse direction, with the Cuboid bone; and medially, with the fourth metatarsal....


Common characteristics of the metatarsal bones

  • The body is prismoid in form, tapers gradually from the tarsal
    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....
     to the phalangeal
    Phalanx bones

    The name Phalanx is commonly given to the bones that form fingers and toes. In primates such as humans and monkeys, the thumb and big toe have two phalanges, while the other fingers and toes consist of three....
     extremity, and is curved longitudinally, so as to be concave below, slightly convex above.


  • The base or posterior extremity is wedge
    Wedge

    The term wedge can refer to any of the following things:Physical objects:* Wedge , a simple machine used to separate two objects, or portions of objects, through the application of force...
    -shaped, articulating proximally with the tarsal bones, and by its sides with the contiguous metatarsal bones: its dorsal
    Dorsum (biology)

    In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright....
     and plantar surfaces are rough for the attachment of ligament
    Ligament

    Ligaments connect bone to bone. In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote three different types of structures:# Fibrous Tissue that connects bones to other bones....
    s.


  • The head or anterior extremity presents a convex articular surface, oblong from above downward, and extending farther backward below than above.


  • Its sides are flattened, and on each is a depression, surmounted by a tubercle, for ligamentous attachment.


  • Its plantar surface is grooved antero-posteriorly for the passage of the flexor tendon
    Tendon

    A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension . Tendons are similar to ligaments except that ligaments join one bone to another....
    s, and marked on either side by an articular eminence continuous with the terminal articular surface.


Articulations

The base of each metatarsal bone articulates with one or more of the tarsal bones, and the head with one of the first row of phalanges.

  • The first metatarsal articulates with the first cuneiform.
  • the second with all three cuneiforms.
  • the third with the third cuneiform.
  • the fourth with the third cuneiform and the cuboid.
  • The fifth with the cuboid.


Injuries

The metatarsal bones are often broken by football
Football

File:Football4.pngFootball is the word given to a number of similar team sports, all of which involve kicking a ball with the foot in an attempt to score a Goal ....
 players. These and other recent cases have been attributed to the modern lightweight design of football boot
Football boot

Football Boots are an item of footwear worn when playing association football. Those designed for grass Football pitch have cleat on the bottom to aid traction....
s, which give less protection to the foot.

Stress fractures are thought to account for 16% of injuries related to sports preparation, and the metatarsals are most often involved. These fractures are commonly called march fractures, as they were commonly diagnosed among military recruits after long marches. The second and third metatarsals are fixed while walking, thus these metatarsals are common sites of injury. The fifth metatarsal may be fractured if the foot is oversupinated
Supination

Supination is a position of either the forearm or foot; in the forearm when the palm faces anteriorly, or faces up . Supination in the foot occurs when a person appears "Genu varum" with their weight supported primarily on the anterior of their feet....
 during locomotion.

Additional images


See also

  • 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....
  • Terms for anatomical location


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