Course Outline

§  Ankle Joint

§  Superior & Inferior Tibio-fibular Joints

§  Joints of Foot

Learning Objectives

§  Describe the Ankle Joint

§  Discuss the Superior and Inferior Tibio-Fibular Joints

§  Discuss Sub-talar Joint

§  Discuss transverse tarsal joint or mid-tarsal joint.

Talocrural Joint (ankle joint)

§  Type:

- hinge type of synovial joint.

§  Articular Surfaces: - between inferior ends of tibia and fibula and superior part of talus.

Articular Surfaces

Tibia articulates with talus in two places:

(1)Inferior surface forms roof of mortise, which is wider anteriorly than posteriorly

(2) Lateral surface of its medial malleolus articulates with talus.

Ø  Talus has three articular facets, which articulate with inferior surface of tibia and malleoli.

Ø  Trochlea of talus is wider anteriorly than posteriorly and slightly concave side to side.

Articular Capsule

§  Fibrous capsule is supported on each side by strong collateral ligaments (medial or deltoid and lateral ligaments).

§  Attached superiorly to borders of articular surfaces of tibia and malleoli.

§  Attached inferiorly to talus, except antero inferiorly.

Synovial Capsule

§  Synovial capsule of ankle joint lines fibrous capsule.

§  Synovial cavity of ankle joint is superficial on each side of tendo calcaneus.

Medial or Deltoid Ligament

§  Apex of ligament is attached to margins and tip of medial malleolus.

§  Broad base fans out and attaches to three tarsal bones (talus, navicular, and calcaneus).

§  Function:

- Strengthens joint and hold calcaneus and navicular bones against talus.

- Help to maintain medial side of foot against longitudinal arch.

Deltoid ligament consists of four parts:

•  Tibio navicular Ligament

•  Anterior tibio talar Ligament

•  Posterior tibio talar Ligament

•  Tibio calcanean ligaments.

Lateral Ligament of the Ankle

§  Attach lateral malleolus to talus and calcaneus.

§  Three distinct parts of lateral ligament are:

•  Anterior talo fibular ligaments

•  Posterior talo fibular ligaments

•  Calcaneo fibular ligaments.

Joint Stability

q  Ankle joint is very strong during dorsi flexion because:

-  it is supported by powerful ligaments.

-  it is crossed by several tendons.

-  tightly bound down by thickenings of deep fascia called retinacula.

-  trochlea of talus fills mortise formed by malleoli.

-  Anterior part of trochlea forces malleoli of leg bones apart slightly.

Ankle Joint Movements

•  Movements:

- dorsi flexion and plantar flexion.

Movements in plantar flexion:

- rotation, abduction, and adduction.

Movements in dorsi flexion :

- trochlea of talus rocks posteriorly in three-sided mortise.

- malleoli are forced apart because superior articular surface of talus is wider anteriorly than posteriorly.

-Thus, range of plantar flexion is greater than that of dorsi flexion.

Blood & Nerve Supply

Blood Supply:

- Malleolar branches of fibular (peroneal) artery.

- Anterior and posterior tibial artery.

Nerve Supply:

- Tibial nerve.

- Deep peroneal nerve, a division of common peroneal nerve.

Tibio fibular Joints

Ø  Tibia and fibula articulate at their proximal and distal ends.

Ø  Movement at proximal tibio fibular joint is impossible without movement at distal one.

Proximal (Superior) Tibio fibular Joint

Type:

- plane type of synovial joint between head of fibula and lateral condyle of tibia.

Articular surface:- Facet on head of fibula articulates with facet located postero laterally on inferior aspect of lateral condyle of tibia.

Articular Capsule

- Fibrous capsule surrounds joint and is attached to margins of articular facets on fibula and tibia.

- Strengthened by anterior and posterior ligaments of head of fibula.

- Fibers of these ligaments run supero- medially from fibula to tibia.

Synovial Membrane

-  Synovial membrane lines fibrous capsule.

-  Pouch of synovial membrane passing under tendon of popliteus muscle, known as popliteus bursa.

Blood & Nerve Supply

Blood Supply:

-  Inferior lateral genicular artery.

-  anterior tibial recurrent artery.

Nerve Supply:

-  Common peroneal nerve.

-  Nerve to popliteus muscle.

Distal (Inferior) Tibio fibular Joint

Type:

-  Fibrous joint of syndosmosis type.

-  Located between inferior ends of tibia and fibula.

Articular Surfaces:

-  Rough, convex, triangular articular area on medial surface of inferior end of fibula articulates with facet on inferior end of tibia.

Ligaments

Interosseous ligament: - continuous superiorly with interosseous membrane.

- Forms principal connection between tibia and fibula at this joint

§  Strong anterior and posterior tibio fibular ligaments strengthen distal tibio fibular joint anteriorly and posteriorly.

-  Inferior, deep part of posterior tibio fibular ligament is called transverse tibio fibular ligament.

-  This strong band closes posterior angle between tibia and fibula.

§  Joint Stability:

- This articulation forms a strong union between distal ends of tibia and fibula.

- Strength of ankle joint is dependent on this union.

§  Joint Movement:

- Slight movement of distal tibio fibular joint occurs to accommodate talus during dorsi flexion of foot at ankle joint.

Blood & Nerve Supply

§  Blood Supply:

- Perforating branch of fibular (peroneal) artery

- medial malleolar branches of anterior and posterior tibial arteries.

§  Nerve Supply:

-  Deep fibular (peroneal), tibial, saphenous nerves

Sub talar (talo calcanean) Joint

- Sub talar (talo calcanean) joint is distal to ankle joint.

- Talus rests on and articulates with calcaneus.

Type:

Synovial joint between inferior surface of body of talus and superior surface of calcaneus.

Articular Capsule

- surrounded by an articular capsule.

- attached near margins of articular facets.

- fibrous capsule is weak.

- supported by medial, lateral and posterior talo calcanean and

anteriorly by interosseous talo calcanean ligament.

Joint Movements

§  Inversion and eversion:

- main movements at Sub talar joint.

§  Gliding and rotation :

- assist with inversion and eversion of posterior part of foot.

Transverse Tarsal Joint

§  Talo navicular and

Calcaneo cuboid joint are separate joints.

- together they constitute transverse tarsal joint or mid-tarsal joint.

- extend across tarsus in almost same transverse plane.

Talo navicular Joint

Forms between:

- head of talus and socket of posterior surface of navicular bone.

- superior surface of plantar calcaneo navicular ligament ("spring ligament").

- sustentaculum tali

articular surface of calcaneus.

Talo calcaneo navicular Joint

Type:

-synovial joint of ball and socket type.

- surrounded by a single articular capsule that blends with interosseous talo calcanean ligament posteriorly.

-Talo calcaneo navicular joint is reinforced dorsally by dorsal talo navicular ligament.

Calcaneo navicular ligament

§  Triangular band extends from sustentaculum tali to postero inferior surface of navicular bone.

§  Blends with deltoid ligament medially and forms part of socket for head of talus.

§  Plays an important role in maintaining longitudinal arch of foot.

Calcaneo cuboid Joint

Type:

Synovial joint between anterior surface of calcaneus and posterior surface of cuboid.

Function:

Dorsal calcaneo cuboid ligament and plantar calcaneo cuboid ligament (short plantar ligament) strengthen capsule of calcaneo cuboid joint.

Movements of Transverse Tarsal Joint

q  Inversion and eversion of foot:

- During inversion:

foot is adducted and directed so that its medial border is raised and its lateral border is depressed.

- During eversion:

foot is abducted and directed so that lateral border is raised and medial border is depressed.

- Strong medial (deltoid) ligament prevents over eversion of foot.

- Weaker lateral ligaments prevent over inversion of foot.

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