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Parts of a Foot

Your foot is made up of soft tissue and bones that work together to form a healthy, functioning, and pain-free foot.

Top view of foot showing bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and tendons.

  • Muscles contract and relax to move the foot.

  • Tendons are tough fibers that connect muscles to bones.

  • Ligaments are fibrous strands that connect bones.

  • Nerves travel throughout the foot, providing feeling.

  • Nails protect the tips of the toes.

  • Phalanges are the toe bones.

  • Metatarsals are the bones between the toes and the ankle bones.

  • Tarsals are bones of the rear foot (hindfoot) or middle foot (midfoot).

  • The talus is one of the ankle bones.

  • The calcaneus is the heel bone.

  • The arch is formed by bones and held in place with ligaments.

  • Joints are the meeting points between two bones. They are lined with cartilage. Cartilage is smooth tissue that allows joints to move easily.

  • The plantar fascia is a sheet of fibrous tissue that supports the arch and encloses muscles there.

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