Foot & Ankle Injuries

The ankle joint is formed by the connection of the bones in the lower leg (tibia and fibula) with the bone at the top of the foot (talus). These bones are held together by 4 major ligaments: the deltoid ligament, anterior talofibular ligament, the posterior talofibular ligament, and the calcaneofibular ligament. There are many tendons that run along the foot and ankle including the Achilles tendon, posterior tibialis tendon, and the peroneal tendons. The Achilles tendon is the largest in the body and connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. The posterior tibialis tendon runs along the inside of the ankle and connects under the arch of the foot. The peroneal tendons are found on the outside of the ankle and connect to the outside arch of the foot. These structures all work together to dorsiflex (heel-strike) and plantarflex (toe-off), two movements necessary to walk.