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1. What are the arches of the foot?
→ They are curved arrangements of bones of the foot that form longitudinal and transverse concavities to support body weight and allow locomotion.
2. How many arches are present in the human foot?
→ Four arches:
Two longitudinal — medial and lateral.
Two transverse — anterior and posterior.
3. What is the importance of the arches of the foot?
→ They make the foot strong, elastic, and stable, enabling shock absorption, weight distribution, and spring action during walking or running.
4. Which arch is the highest and most important?
→ The medial longitudinal arch — it is higher, more mobile, and acts as the chief shock absorber.
5. Which arch is the lowest and most rigid?
→ The lateral longitudinal arch — it is short and transmits weight directly to the ground.
6. What bones form the medial longitudinal arch?
→ Calcaneus, talus, navicular, three cuneiforms, and first to third metatarsals.
7. What bones form the lateral longitudinal arch?
→ Calcaneus, cuboid, and fourth and fifth metatarsals.
8. Which bone acts as the keystone of the medial longitudinal arch?
→ Talus.
9. Which bone acts as the keystone of the lateral longitudinal arch?
→ Cuboid.
10. What are the supporting factors of the medial longitudinal arch?
→ Spring ligament, plantar aponeurosis, tibialis posterior, flexor hallucis longus, and tibialis anterior.
11. What are the supporting factors of the lateral longitudinal arch?
→ Long and short plantar ligaments, plantar aponeurosis, peroneus longus, peroneus brevis, and abductor digiti minimi.
12. What are the components of the transverse arches?
→ Anterior transverse arch: heads of metatarsals.
Posterior transverse arch: navicular, three cuneiforms, cuboid, and bases of metatarsals.
13. Which ligaments maintain the arches of the foot?
→ Spring ligament, long plantar ligament, and short plantar ligament.
14. What is the function of the spring (plantar calcaneonavicular) ligament?
→ It supports the head of talus and helps maintain the medial longitudinal arch.
15. What is the role of the plantar aponeurosis?
→ Acts as a tie-beam connecting the ends of the longitudinal arches and resists flattening of the sole.
16. What are tie-beams and slings in the foot?
→ Tie-beams: plantar aponeurosis and short flexor muscles — prevent flattening.
Slings: tendons like tibialis posterior and peroneus longus — pull the arch upward.
17. Which muscles form the “stirrup” of the foot?
→ Tibialis anterior and peroneus longus — they cross under the sole to maintain the arches.
18. What are the main functions of the arches?
→
Weight transmission to heel and toes.
Shock absorption during walking.
Spring action during locomotion.
Protection to plantar soft tissues.
19. What happens if the arches collapse?
→ Flat foot (pes planus) develops → pain, fatigue, and valgus deformity.
20. What is pes cavus?
→ Exaggerated medial arch due to spasticity or neurological disorders.
21. What is clubfoot (talipes equinovarus)?
→ Congenital deformity with plantar flexion, inversion, and adduction of the foot.
22. What is clawfoot?
→ Hyperextension at metatarsophalangeal joints and flexion at interphalangeal joints due to weakness of small foot muscles.
23. What is the function of the great toe in weight bearing?
→ The great toe, through its two sesamoid bones, bears double the weight of each of the other toes.
24. What is the clinical significance of the plantar aponeurosis?
→ Its tight fibrous septa can limit swelling in plantar abscess and is commonly inflamed in plantar fasciitis.
25. What does Hilton’s Law state (as applied to the foot)?
→ The same nerves that supply the muscles moving a joint also supply the joint capsule and the overlying skin.
1. All of the following bones take part in formation of lateral longitudinal arch, except:
a. Calcaneum
b. Cuboid
c. Navicular
d. 4th metatarsal
✅ Answer: c. Navicular
2. The keystone of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot is:
a. Navicular
b. Talus
c. Cuboid
d. Calcaneum
✅ Answer: b. Talus
3. The important joint of the medial longitudinal arch is:
a. Calcaneocuboid joint
b. Talonavicular joint
c. Talocalcaneonavicular joint
d. Intercuneiform joint
✅ Answer: c. Talocalcaneonavicular joint
4. The main supports of the medial longitudinal arch are:
a. Tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior, peroneus longus
b. Tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior, flexor digitorum brevis
c. Flexor hallucis longus, peroneus longus, tibialis anterior
d. Abductor hallucis, peroneus brevis, long plantar ligament
✅ Answer: a. Tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior, peroneus longus
5. The important joint of the lateral longitudinal arch is:
a. Subtalar joint
b. Talonavicular joint
c. Calcaneocuboid joint
d. Cuneonavicular joint
✅ Answer: c. Calcaneocuboid joint
6. The main supports of the lateral longitudinal arch are:
a. Short plantar ligament
b. Long plantar ligament
c. Peroneus longus tendon
d. All of the above
✅ Answer: d. All of the above
7. The posterior transverse arch is supported by:
a. Tibialis anterior
b. Peroneus longus
c. Flexor hallucis longus
d. Abductor digiti minimi
✅ Answer: b. Peroneus longus
8. The anterior transverse arch is supported by:
a. Deep metatarsal ligaments and dorsal interossei
b. Long plantar ligament
c. Abductor hallucis
d. Short plantar ligament
✅ Answer: a. Deep metatarsal ligaments and dorsal interossei
9. The spring ligament connects which of the following bones?
a. Calcaneus and navicular
b. Talus and cuboid
c. Calcaneus and cuboid
d. Talus and navicular
✅ Answer: a. Calcaneus and navicular
10. Which of the following statements about flat foot (pes planus) is true?
a. It results from fracture of talus
b. It results from collapse of medial longitudinal arch
c. It results from overactivity of peroneus longus
d. It results from injury to plantar aponeurosis
✅ Answer: b. It results from collapse of medial longitudinal arch
1. What is an arch of the foot?
→ A curved arrangement of tarsal and metatarsal bones forming a concavity on the plantar surface of the foot.
2. How many arches are present in the human foot?
→ Four in total — two longitudinal (medial and lateral) and two transverse (anterior and posterior).
3. Which arch is the most important?
→ The medial longitudinal arch, as it is higher, more mobile, and acts as the main spring of the foot.
4. Which is the keystone of the medial longitudinal arch?
→ Head of the talus.
5. Which is the keystone of the lateral longitudinal arch?
→ Cuboid.
6. Which joints are important for the medial and lateral arches?
→
Medial arch: Talocalcaneonavicular joint.
Lateral arch: Calcaneocuboid joint.
7. Which ligaments maintain the medial longitudinal arch?
→ Spring (plantar calcaneonavicular) ligament and deltoid ligament.
8. Which ligaments maintain the lateral longitudinal arch?
→ Long plantar and short plantar ligaments.
9. What are the muscular supports of the medial longitudinal arch?
→ Tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, and flexor hallucis longus.
10. What are the muscular supports of the lateral longitudinal arch?
→ Peroneus longus, peroneus brevis, and abductor digiti minimi.
11. What is the function of the plantar aponeurosis?
→ Acts as a tie-beam connecting the two ends of the arch and prevents its flattening.
12. What are the tie-beams of the foot?
→ Plantar aponeurosis and short muscles of the sole, such as flexor digitorum brevis and abductor hallucis.
13. What is meant by the “stirrup” of the foot?
→ The tendons of tibialis anterior and peroneus longus cross under the sole forming a sling or stirrup that supports both arches.
14. What are the functions of the arches of the foot?
→
Distribute body weight during standing and walking.
Absorb shocks.
Provide elasticity for locomotion.
Protect vessels, nerves, and soft tissues of the sole.
15. What is flat foot (pes planus)?
→ Flattening of the medial longitudinal arch so that the sole almost completely touches the ground.
16. What is pes cavus?
→ Exaggerated height of the medial longitudinal arch (high-arched foot).
17. What is clubfoot (talipes equinovarus)?
→ Congenital deformity in which the foot is plantarflexed, inverted, and adducted.
18. What is clawfoot?
→ Hyperextension at metatarsophalangeal joints and flexion at interphalangeal joints due to paralysis of intrinsic muscles.
19. What is hallux valgus?
→ Lateral deviation of the great toe at the first metatarsophalangeal joint, often associated with bunion formation.
20. What is the clinical importance of the arches?
→ They absorb shock, maintain balance, and protect deep plantar structures during standing and movement; loss leads to deformities like flat foot or painful strain.
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