Arches of Foot: DR M Idris Siddiqui

Arches of foot
Dr M Idris Siddiqui
Arches of foot
• The foot has three arches:
– Tw longitudinal (medial and lateral)arches
o transverse arch.
– Oneshape allows them to act in the same
• Their
way as a spring, bearing the weight of the
body and absorbing the shock produced
during locomotion.
MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL ARCH
• The medial longitudinal arch is composed
by the calcaneum, talus, navicular, 3
cuneiforms, and medial 3 metatarsals.
LATERAL LONGITUDINAL ARCH
• The lateral longitudinal arch is composed by the
calcaneum cuboid and lateral 2 metatarsals.
• It is characteristically low and just about touches the
earth.
• It is involved in receiving and supporting the body
weight during walking and running.
TRANSVERSE ARCHES
• ANTERIOR TRANSVERSE ARCH
• The heads of the metatarsals create the anterior
transverse arch.
• It’s a whole arch because during standing position the
heads of first and fifth metatarsals come into contact to
the earth and create the 2 ends of the arch.
• POSTERIOR TRANSVERSE ARCH
• The posterior transverse arch is composed by greater
parts of the tarsus and metatarsus.
• It’s an incomplete arch because only its lateral end
enters into contact with all the earth during standing
position. It creates only half of the dome in a single
foot. The entire dome is composed when both feet are
brought together.
Differences Between the Medial and Lateral Longitudinal Arches
Medial longitudinal arch Lateral longitudinal arch

•Formed by more bones and more •Formed by less bones and less
joints joints
• Characteristic feature is resiliency • Characteristic feature is rigidity

• Higher and more mobile • Lower and less mobile
•Involved in propulsion during
locomotion (i.e., initiating the next •Involved in receiving and
supporting the body weight
step during walking)
VARIABLES KEEPING THE ARCHES OF THE FOOT
• The apparatus
utilized to support
a stone bridge are:
–Shape of stones.
–
Intersegmenta
l ties (staples).
–Slings.
Medial Longitudinal Arch Lateral Longitudinal Arch
Pillars:
The medial half of the calcaneum creates The posterior column of the lateral
the posterior column of the medial longitudinal arch is composed by the
lateral tubercle of the calcaneum and the
longitudinal arch.
The heads of the medial 3 metatarsals anterior column is composed by
create the anterior column of the the heads of the lateral 2 metatarsals.
medial longitudinal arch.
Summit:
The talus is located at the peak of the arch. The peak of the lateral longitudinal arch is
For that reason, the talus is the keystone located at the level of articular facets on
of the arch. the calcaneum (i.e., at the level of subtalar
joint).
Joints:
The key joints of the medial longitudinal The primary joint of the lateral
arch are talocalcaneonavicular and longitudinal arch is calcaneocuboid joint.
subtalar joints.
Medial Longitudinal Arch Lateral Longitudinal Arch Transverse Arch
Muscular support:
Tibialis anterior and posterior, Peroneus longus, Peroneus longus
Peroneus longus , Flexor digitorum longus, Tibialis posterior.
Flexor digitorum longus,
Intrinsic foot muscles.
Flexor hallucis longus,
Intrinsic foot muscles
Ligamentous support:
Plantar ligaments, Plantar ligaments Plantar ligaments
Medial ligament of the ankle Deep transverse metatarsal
joint. ligaments.
Bony support:
Shape of the bones of the Shape of the bones of the The wedged shape of
arch. arch.
the bones of the arch
Other:
Plantar aponeurosis. Plantar aponeurosis. Plantar aponeurosis.
Cont.
FUNCTIONS OF THE ARCHES
• Spread the body weight to the weight bearing
points of the sole (example, heel; balls of the
toes, primarily those of first and fifth toes and
lateral border of the sole).
• Serves as shock absorber during bound by
their spring like activity.
• The concavity of the arches protects the
nerves and vessels of the sole.
Clinical Relevance – Pes Cavus (High Arches)
• Pes cavus is a foot condition characterised by an
unusually high medial longitudinal arch.
• Due to the higher arch, the ability to shock absorb
during walking is diminished and an increased degree
of stress is placed on the ball and heel of the foot.
• Symptoms generally include pain in the foot, which
can radiate to the ankle, leg, thigh and hip. This pain is
transmitted up the lower limb from the foot due to the
unusually high stress placed on the hindfoot during the
heel strike of the gait cycle.
• Causes of pes cavus can be idiopathic, hereditary, due
to an underlying congenital foot problem such as club
foot, or secondary to neuromuscular damage such as in
poliomyelitis.
Pes cavus, an abnormally high
longitudinal arch
Clinical Relevance: Pes Planus (Flat Footed)
• Pes planus is a common
condition in which
the longitudinal
arches have been lost.
Arches do not develop until
about 2-3 years of age,
meaning flat feet during
infancy is normal.

Arches of Foot: DR M Idris Siddiqui

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Arches of foot

Medial longitudinal arch Lateral longitudinal arch

• Characteristic feature is resiliency • Characteristic feature is rigidity

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