Ligaments of The Foot

The instep is made up of five, elongated metatarsal bones that join the tarsus (the seven ankle bones). The distant heads of these bones form the ball of the foot. The tarsals and metatarsals are arranged and bound by ligaments to form the arches of the foot. A "tarsometataral ligament" joins the tarsus to the metatarsal bone. A longitudinal arch extends from the "posterior longitudinal ligament" at the heel to the "anterior longitudinal ligament" of the toe, and a transverse arch ("dorsal metatarsal ligament") stretches across the foot. These arches provide a stable, spring base for the body. At times, the tissues that bind the metatarsal become weakened and produce fallen arches or "flat feet." The "plantar ligaments" are in the sole of the foot. The "plantar calcaneonavicular ligament" joins the "navicular" bone in the ankle to the "calcaneus," or heel bone; the "plantar cuboideonavicular ligament" joins the navicular bone to the "cuboid" bone of the ankle. The "plantar metatarsal ligaments" bind the instep across the sole of the foot.