19/11/2023
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The feet are our base of support and our connection to the ground.
They contain many nerve endings for sensing and responding. Shoes, concrete, flat sidewalks, elevators and escalators encourage most of us to lose the articulate sensitivity which our feet possess. In the insect world, the feet are tongues for the moth! Our feet receive and express our connection to our environment. They spread the weight of the body to the ground, give stability and mobility to our base, absorb the shock and impact of motion, and give articulation and refinement to our movement and gesture. Our feet constantly inform us of the stability of our base.
Whether we are on a boat or on land, on sand or on rocks, safe or
uncertain, they respond accordingly.
There are seven tarsal bones in the ankle. They allow circular movement with maximum stability and a minimum of musculature. Each irregular bone surface slides minutely over the next to collectively provide range of motion. The uppermost ankle bone, the talus, is braced between the two bones of the lower leg, the tibia and fibula. It is allowed to move forward and backward with each step, like ice swinging between ice tongs, adding to
the overall leverage of our striding gait, and assisting the tibia and fibula in their slight rotation to reduce impact at the knee. The talus feeds directly forward into the navicular bone, the three cuneiform bones, the first three metatarsals, and then to the first, second and third toes.
Collectively, this structure creates the "ankle foot," levering support from the first three toes to the front of the ankle.
Returning to the talus, the weight also transfers posteriorly to the calcaneus or "heel" bone. The talocalcaneo joint has three roughly curved surfaces, corresponding to the three planes of movement, and allowing for subtle adaptation to uneven terrain. Stress is absorbed through this joint in small doses before traveling
up to the ankle, knee and pelvis. The calcaneus also connects forward to the cuboid bone, the fourth and fifth metatarsals, and the fourth and fifth toes (the big toe has two bones forming hinge joints, whereas all the other toes have three bones each: a total of 14 phalanges per foot). This connection from calcaneus to cuboid to metatarsals to toes is called the "heel foot," giving support to the posterior surface of the ankle.
Thus, in standing and in movement, when all five toes are engaged, the ankle receives support at both the front and back surfaces.
All of the bones of the foot work together to create the horizontal and longitudinal arches, which cushion and give spring to our step. The levering from big toe to heel is also a vital part of our powerful walking stride.
Source: Body Stories, Andrea Olsen
