Talus

Os tali

  • Latin synonym: Astragalus
  • Synonym: Ankle bone; Talar bone; Talus bone

Definition

The talus bone, also known as the astragalus bone, is the second-largest among the tarsal bones. It contributes to the formation of the ankle joint along with the tibia and fibula.

The talus consists of three parts: a head, a neck, and a body.

The head of the talus faces forward, downward, and medially. It is round and primarily articulates with the navicular bone at the front. Additional facets on the lower part of the talus head, including the anterior, middle, and inner/medial facets, enable articulation with the underlying calcaneum bone. The middle facet could be positioned posteriorly sufficiently to be situated beneath the talus neck.

The body of the talus connects to the calcaneus at the subtalar joint through the posterior facet. The superior part of the talus body forms the talar dome, which acts as the articular surface for the tibiotalar joint. The body features a prominent posterior process with a medial and lateral tubercle. These tubercles create a groove through which the tendon of the flexor hallucis longus muscle passes.

The talus neck situated between the body and head, forms the roof of the tarsal canal.

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Text written by Muhammad A. Javaid, MD, PhD © 2023 IMAIOS.


Comparative anatomy in animals

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