Search

Purpose: Our aim in the study is to measure the area and volume of the tarsal bones and examine the typing of the talus and calcaneus joint surfaces according to sex., Methods: In our study, the area and volume measurements of 630 tarsal bones and the morphology of the talus/calcaneus were analyzed by transferring thin-section Computed Tomography (CT) images to the 3D Slicer program., Results: The volume and area sizes of the foot bones are calcaneus, talus, cuboid, navicular, medial cuneiform, lateral cuneiform, and intermediate cuneiform, respectively. All area and volume values of males were statistically higher than females (p < 0.05). The right side calcaneus area, intermediate cuneiform area, and lateral cuneiform area values were statistically higher than the left side (p < 0.045, p < 0.044, p < 0.030, respectively). There was no statistical relationship between age and area/volume values (p > 0.05). Three different types were seen in the calcaneus and seven in the talus. The most common type in the calcaneus was B1 (40%), and the least common type was A (27.8%). Regardless of the subgroups, the most common type in the talus was type B (37.8%), while the least common type was E2 (1.1%)., Conclusion: Although morphometric measurements of tarsal bones differed according to sex, they did not differ according to age. The frequency of occurrence of the types of articular surfaces of the talus and calcaneus varies according to populations. We think that the morphometry and morphology of tarsal bones will contribute to invasive procedures regarding tarsal bones and surrounding structures, and that three-dimensional bone modeling can be used to create educational materials., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

The human calcaneus is robust and provides a prominent heel for effective bipedal locomotion, although the adjacent talus has no muscle attachments. However, there is incomplete information about the morphological changes in these prominent bones during embryo development. We examined serial histological sections of 23 human embryos and early-term fetuses (approximately 5-10 weeks' gestational age [GA]). At a GA of 5 weeks, the precartilage talus was parallel to and on the medial side of the calcaneus, which had a prolate spheroid shape and consisted of three masses. At a GA of 6 weeks, the cartilaginous talus extended along the proximodistal axis, and the tuber calcanei became long and bulky, with a small sustentaculum talus at the "distal" side. At a GA of 6 to 8 weeks, the sustentaculum had a medial extension below the talus so that the talus "rode over" the calcaneus. In contrast, the talus had a more complex shape, depending on the growth of adjacent bones. At a GA of 9 to 10 weeks, the talus was above the calcaneus, but the medial part still faced the plantar subcutaneous tissue because of the relatively small sustentaculum. Therefore, the final morphology appeared after an additional several weeks. Muscle activity seemed to facilitate growth of the tuber calcanei, but growth of the other parts of calcaneus, including the sustentaculum, seemed to depend on active proliferation at the different sites of cartilage. Multiple tendons and ligaments seemed to fix the talus so that it remained close to the calcaneus., (© 2024 Anatomical Society.)

Maspalomas is one of the most important archaeological sites in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. The necropolis is one of the few funerary sites on the island where several the skeletons were found in anatomical position. The burials correspond to graves and cists dated between the 12 th and 15 th century CE. These graves and cists are clustered together in different formations across the necropolis, giving rise to a complex composition that denotes the existence of possible interpersonal relationships of the people buried there. A total of 135 calcanei and 118 tali were analysed to find non-metric traits and to test whether the clustered burials share a non-metric trait relationship. Trait combinations were formed using talus and calcaneus non-metric traits separately. The results of this study suggest that the individuals of Maspalomas showed a very high prevalence of lateral and medial talar facets, attributed to prolonged squatting position and/or walking on uneven ground. The calcaneal facet pattern (that may be aetiologically genetic) is more closely related to that observed among North-Africans or Indians than to Western Europeans. Calcaneal facet type Ib, and other genetically-determined traits, such as the extra facet extension of Posterior Facet, or the medial root of the inferior extensor retinaculum trait, either as single traits or as the combination of both traits, were significantly associated with individuals buried in different geographical areas of the necropolis defined by differences in burial structures, a finding that may suggest that genetically-linked individuals were buried in a separate area of the necropolis. The use of trait combination analysis in this study shows that the method can be applied to identify relationships among genetically or professionally related individuals that were subjected to a different burial procedure by their contemporaries.

The shape of the talus, its internal structure, and its mechanical properties are important in determining talar behavior during loading, which may be significant for the design of surgical tools and implants. Although recent studies using statistical shape modeling have described quantitative talar external shape variation, no similar quantitative study exists to describe the density distribution of internal talar structure. The goal of this study is to quantify statistical variation in talar shape and density to benefit the design of talar implants. To this end, weight-bearing computed tomography (CT) scans of the ankle were collected in neutral, bilateral standing posture, and three-dimensional models were generated for each talus. Local density derived from the Hounsfield unit of each CT voxel was extracted. A weighted spherical harmonic analysis was performed to quantify the talar external shape. One hundred and seventy-nine volumes of interest were placed in the same relative position within each talus to quantify the talar density. Additionally, a finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted on a talus with both heterogeneous and homogeneous material properties to observe the effect of these properties on the stress and strain response. Significant differences were found in the talar density in sex and age, as well as in the stress and strain response between homogeneous and heterogeneous FEA. These differences show the importance of considering heterogeneity when examining the load response of tarsal bones., (© 2024 Orthopaedic Research Society.)

Bacground: Morphologic measurements such as body lenght, wither height, heart girth, chest width, body leght, cannon-bone circumference is used to predict carcass weight. For this purpose, estimating carcass weight with measurements of key bones such as ankle bones, which play a significant role in the balance distribution of body weight, seems possible., Objectives: The aim of this study is to create new regression models for effective carcass weight estimation by using the morphometric data of the talus and calcaneus bones of hair goats., Methods: Study materials consisted of talus and calcaneus bones obtained from abattoir products of hair goat kids (12-18 months old, 20 female and 20 male) and adult hair goats (36-48 months old, 20 female and 20 male). Morphometric measurements of the talus and calcaneus of each animal were taken by a digital caliper. Using the morphometric measurements, an index and a factor were calculated for each bone. Regression analysis and correlations were examined in IBM SPSS 21 programme., Results: As a result, statistical analysis of GLc, GLt, Bd, Calfactor and Talfactor were statistically significant on predicting carcass weight., Conclusion: Specific anatomical structures, such as certain bone measurements, such as talus and calnaneus could serve as indicators of growth performance and also carcass weight performance. In addition new anatomical factors and indices may be produced and new regression methods may be applied with these new parameters to predict carcass weight., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Cadaver biomechanical testing suggests that the morphology of articulating bones contributes to the stability of the joints and determines their kinematics; however, there are no studies examining the correlation between bone morphology and kinematics of the subtalar joint. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of talar and calcaneal morphology on subtalar kinematics during walking in healthy individuals., Methods: Forty ankles (20 healthy subjects, 10 women/10 men) were included. Participants walked at a self-selected pace while synchronized biplane radiographs of the hindfoot were acquired at 100 images per second during stance. Motion of the talus and calcaneus was tracked using a validated volumetric model-based tracking process, and subtalar kinematics were calculated. Talar and calcaneal morphology were evaluated using statistical shape modeling. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationship between subtalar kinematics and the morphology features of the talus and calcaneus., Results: This study found that a shallower posterior facet of the talus was correlated with the subtalar joint being in more dorsiflexion, more inversion, and more internal rotation, and higher curvature in the posterior facet was correlated with more inversion and eversion range of motion during stance. In the calcaneus, a gentler slope of the middle facet was correlated with greater subtalar inversion., Conclusion: The morphology of the posterior facet of the talus was found to a primary factor driving multiplanar subtalar joint kinematics during the stance phase of gait., Clinical Relevance: This new knowledge relating form and function in the hindfoot may assist in identifying individuals susceptible to subtalar instability and in improving implant design to achieve desired kinematics after surgery., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Disclosure forms for all authors are available online.

Background: To analyze the curvature characteristics of the talus trochlea in people from northern China in different sex and age groups., Methods: Computed tomography scanning data of talus from 61 specimens were collected and constructed as a three-dimensional model by Materialise's Interactive Medical Image Control System(MIMICS) software, anteromedial(AM), posteromedial(PM), anterolateral(AL), and posterolateral(PL) edge, anterior edge of medial trochlea, posterior edge of medial trochlea and anterior edge of lateral trochlea were defined according to the anatomical landmarks on trochlear surface. The curvature radii for different areas were measured using the fitting radius and measure module., Results: There were significant differences among the talus curvatures in the six areas (F = 54.905, P = 0.000), and more trends in the analytical results were as follows: PM > PL > MP > AL > MA > AM. The average PL radius from specimens aged > 38 years old was larger than that from specimens aged < = 38 years (t=-2.303, P = 0.038). The talus curvature of the AM for males was significantly larger than that for females (t = 4.25, P = 0.000), and the curvature of the AL for males was larger than that for females (t = 2.629, P = 0.010). For observers aged < = 38 years, the AM curvature of the right talus in the male group was significantly larger than that in the female group (P < 0.01). In age < = 38years group, the MA curvature of right talus in male was significantly larger than in female group(P < 0.01), fitting radius of talus for male (21.90 ± 1.97 mm) was significantly greater than female of this(19.57 ± 1.26 mm)(t = 6.894, P = 000). The average radius of the talus in the male population was larger than that in the female population., Conclusion: There was no significant relationship between age and talus curvature for males and females. The radius of curvature in the posterior area was significantly larger than that in the anterior area. We recommend that this characteristic of the talus trochlea should be considered when designing the talus component in total ankle replacement (TAR)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: When lateral ankle sprains progress into chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI), restoring precise anatomic relationships of the lateral ankle ligament complex (LALC) surgically is complex. This study quantifies the radiographic relationships between the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), calcaneofibular ligament (CFL), and prominent osseous landmarks visible under fluoroscopy to assist in perioperative practices for minimally invasive surgery for CLAI., Methods: Ten fresh frozen ankle specimens were dissected to expose the LALC and prepared by threading a radiopaque filament through the ligamentous footprints of the ATFL and CFL. Fluoroscopic images were digitally analyzed to define dimensional characteristics of the ATFL and CFL. Directional measurements of the ligamentous footprints relative to the lateral process of the talus and the apex of the posterior facet of the calcaneus were calculated., Results: Dimensional measurements of the ATFL were a mean length of 9.3 mm, fibular footprint of 9.4 mm, and talar footprint of 9.1 mm. Dimensional measurements of the CFL were a mean length of 19.4 mm, fibular footprint of 8.2 mm, and calcaneal footprint of 7.3 mm. From the radiographic apparent tip of the lateral process of the talus, the fibular attachment of the ATFL was found 13.3 mm superior and 4.4 mm posterior, whereas the talar attachment was found 11.5 mm superior and 4.8 mm anterior. From the radiographic apparent posterior apex of the posterior facet of the calcaneus, the fibular attachment of the CFL was found 0.2 mm inferior and 6.8 mm anterior, whereas the calcaneal attachment was found 14.3 mm inferior and 5.9 mm posterior., Conclusion: The ATFL and CFL were radiographically analyzed using radiopaque filaments to outline the ligamentous footprints in their native locations. These ligaments were also localized with reference to 2 prominent osseous landmarks. These findings may assist in perioperative practices for keyhole incision placement and arthroscopic guidance. Perfect lateral ankle joint imaging with talar domes superimposed is required to be able to do this., Clinical Relevance: Radiographic evaluation of the ATFL and CFL with reference to prominent osseous landmarks identified under fluoroscopy may assist in perioperative practices for minimally invasive surgery to address CLAI for keyhole incision placement and arthroscopic guidance., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. ICMJE forms for all authors are available online.

The morphological adaptations of euprimates have been linked to their origin and early evolution in an arboreal environment. However, the ancestral and early locomotor repertoire of this group remains contentious. Although some tarsal bones like the astragalus and the calcaneus have been thoroughly studied, the navicular remains poorly studied despite its potential implications for foot mobility. Here, we evaluate early euprimate locomotion by assessing the shape of the navicular-an important component of the midtarsal region of the foot-using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics in relation to quantified locomotor repertoire in a wide data set of extant primates. We also reconstruct the locomotor repertoire of representatives of the major early primate lineages with a novel phylogenetically informed discriminant analysis and characterize the changes that occurred in the navicular during the archaic primate-euprimate transition. To do so, we included in our study an extensive sample of naviculars (36 specimens) belonging to different species of adapiforms, omomyiforms, and plesiadapiforms. Our results indicate that navicular shape embeds a strong functional signal, allowing us to infer the type of locomotion of extinct primates. We demonstrate that early euprimates displayed a diverse locomotor behavior, although they did not reach the level of specialization of some living forms. Finally, we show that the navicular bone experienced substantial reorganization throughout the archaic primate-euprimate transition, supporting the major functional role of the tarsus during early primate evolution. This study demonstrates that navicular shape can be used as a reliable proxy for primate locomotor behavior. In addition, it sheds light on the diverse locomotor behavior of early primates as well as on the archaic primate-euprimate transition, which involved profound morphological changes within the tarsus, including the navicular bone., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Talus is a pivotal bone that assists in easy and correct locomotion and transfers body weight from the shin to the foot. Despite its small size, it is implicated in many clinical disorders. Familiarity with the anatomy of the talus and its anatomical variations is essential for the diagnosis of any disorder related to these variations. Furthermore, orthopedic surgeons must be fully aware by this anatomy during podiatry procedures. In this review, we attempt to present its anatomy in a simple, updated and comprehensive manner. We have also added the anatomical variations and some clinical points relevant to the unique and complex anatomy of talus. The talus has no muscle attachment. However, it does have many ligaments attached to it and others around it to keep it in place. Moreover, the bone plays a pig role in movements due to its involvement in many joints. Most of its surface is covered with articular cartilage. Therefore, its blood supply is relatively poor. This puts the talus at greater risk for poor healing as well as more complications in the event of injury than any other bone. We hope this review will make it easier for clinicians to pursue and understand the updated essential knowledge of one of the most complex bone anatomies that they need in their clinical practice., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Japanese Association of Anatomists.)

Background: The present study aimed to clarify the morphological patterns of the calcaneus and talus that are associated with hallux valgus angle (HVA) by quantifying the differences in the hindfoot bone morphology between left and right sides in HV patients with clear bilateral difference of HVA., Methods: Three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography scans of 32 feet of 16 patients with HV who had right-to-left HVA differences of more than 5 degrees (68.8 ± 8.6 years) were enrolled, and 3D surface models of the calcaneus and talus were generated. A total of 556 and 430 landmarks were placed on the calcaneal and talar surfaces, respectively, to calculate the principal components (PCs) of shape variations. The PC scores were compared between the small and large HVA sides within an individual., Results: The calcaneus in patients with a larger HVA (mean, 43.2 degrees) possessed slender calcaneal tuberosity, more medially oriented posterior articular surface in the coronal plane, and narrower and more concave anterior-middle articular surfaces compared to those with a small HVA (mean, 33.7 degrees). The talus with a larger HVA exhibited more medially oriented talar head in the transverse plane and more anteriorly protruded lateral region of the talar head compared to the small HVA., Conclusions: The morphological patterns of the calcaneus in patients with a larger HVA allows the hindfoot bones to easily rotate in the everting direction, while those of the talus could induce a larger internal rotation of the first metatarsal. These morphological patterns of the calcaneus and talus could be structural factors affecting the HV., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

The addition of information regarding obesity status to the forensic anthropological biological profile could significantly contribute to the identification of human skeletal remains since over 40% of the U.S. adult population is currently obese. This study examines the differences in talar shape and trabecular bone structure between obese and non-obese individuals. A sample of 20 obese and 20 non-obese divided evenly by sex was selected from the Texas State University Donated Skeletal Collection. Tali were imaged using x-ray computed tomography (voxel size: 28-38.7 μm). Image stacks were processed to produce binary images as well as trabecular thickness and spacing maps. Landmark-based geometric morphometric analyses were conducted to quantify shape variation. Shape coordinates were used to locate 100 geometrically homologous volumes of interest within each talus. Bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and trabecular spacing were extracted at each volume of interest. Within each sex, a one-way ANCOVA was used to determine if significant differences exist between obese and non-obese individuals in trabecular bone after controlling for age. The size of the talus as well as subtle aspects of shape were found to distinguish the sexes. The results further indicate that bone volume fraction significantly differs between obese and non-obese males. In females, bone volume fraction is correlated with age but does not differ between obese and non-obese. The study demonstrates that bone microstructure is a promising approach to estimating body mass or body mass index category but age effects diminish the potential for the talus to be used alone., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Forensic Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

Since both the talocrural and subtalar joints can be involved in chronic ankle instability, the present study assessed the talar morphology as this bone is the key player between both joint levels. The 3D orientation and curvature of the superior and the posteroinferior facet between subjects with chronic ankle instability and healthy controls were compared. Hereto, the talus was segmented in the computed tomography images of a control group and a chronic ankle instability group, after which they were reconstructed to 3D surface models. A cylinder was fitted to the subchondral articulating surfaces. The axis of a cylinder represented the facet orientation, which was expressed by an inclination and deviation angle in a coordinate system based on the cylinder of the superior talar facet and the geometric principal axes of the subject's talus. The curvature of the surface was expressed as the radius of the cylinder. The results demonstrated no significant differences in the radius or deviation angle. However, the inclination angle of the posteroinferior talar facet was significantly more plantarly orientated (by 3.5°) in the chronic instability group (14.7 ± 3.1°) compared to the control group (11.2 ± 4.9°) (p < 0.05). In the coronal plane this corresponds to a valgus orientation of the posteroinferior talar facet relative to the talar dome. In conclusion, a more plantarly and valgus orientated posteroinferior talar facet may be associated to chronic ankle instability., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research® published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Orthopaedic Research Society.)

The implant design of the talar component for total ankle replacement (TAR) should match the surface morphology of the talus so that the replaced ankle can restore the natural motion of the tibiotalar joint and may reduce postoperative complications. The purpose of this study was to introduce a new 3D fitting method (the two-sphere fitting method of the talar trochlea with three fitting resection planes) to approximate the shape of the upper part of the talus for the Chinese population. 90 models of the tali from CT images of healthy volunteers were used in this study. Geometrical fitting and morphological measurements were performed for the surface morphology of the upper part of the talus. The accuracy of the two-sphere fitting method of the talar trochlea was assessed by a comparison of previously reported data. Parameters of the fitting geometries with different sizes were recorded and compared. Results showed that compared with previously reported one-sphere, cylinder, and bitruncated cone fitting methods, the two-sphere fitting method presented the smallest maximum distance difference, indicating that talar trochlea can be approximated well as two spheres. The radius of the medial fitting sphere R M was 20.69 ± 2.19 mm which was significantly smaller than the radius of the lateral fitting sphere R L of 21.32 ± 1.88 mm. After grouping all data by the average radius of fitting spheres, the result showed that different sizes of the upper part of the talus presented significantly different parameters except the orientation of the lateral cutting plane, indicating that the orientation of the lateral cutting plane may keep consistent for all upper part of the talus and have no relationship with the size. The linear regression analyses demonstrated a weak correlation ( R 2 < 0.5) between the majority of parameters and the average radius of the fitting spheres. Therefore, different sizes of the upper part of the talus presented unique morphological features, and the design of different sizes of talar components for TAR should consider the size-specific characteristics of the talus. The parameters measured in this study provided a further understanding of the talus and can guide the design of different sizes of the talar components of the TAR implant., Competing Interests: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2022 Jian Yu et al.)

Neanderthal foot bone proportions and morphology are mostly indistinguishable from those of Homo sapiens, with the exception of several distinct Neanderthal features in the talus. The biomechanical implications of these distinct talar features remain contentious, fueling debate around the adaptive meaning of this distinctiveness. With the aim of clarifying this controversy, we test phylogenetic and behavioral factors as possible contributors, comparing tali of 10 Neanderthals and 81 H. sapiens (Upper Paleolithic and Holocene hunter-gatherers, agriculturalists, and postindustrial group) along with the Clark Howell talus (Omo, Ethiopia). Variation in external talar structures was assessed through geometric morphometric methods, while bone volume fraction and degree of anisotropy were quantified in a subsample (n = 45). Finally, covariation between point clouds of site-specific trabecular variables and surface landmark coordinates was assessed. Our results show that although Neanderthal talar external and internal morphologies were distinct from those of H. sapiens groups, shape did not significantly covary with either bone volume fraction or degree of anisotropy, suggesting limited covariation between external and internal talar structures. Neanderthal external talar morphology reflects ancestral retentions, along with various adaptations to high levels of mobility correlated to their presumably unshod hunter-gatherer lifestyle. This pairs with their high site-specific trabecular bone volume fraction and anisotropy, suggesting intense and consistently oriented locomotor loading, respectively. Relative to H.sapiens, Neanderthals exhibit differences in the talocrural joint that are potentially attributable to cultural and locomotor behavior dissimilarity, a talonavicular joint that mixes ancestral and functional traits, and a derived subtalar joint that suggests a predisposition for a pronated foot during stance phase. Overall, Neanderthal talar variation is attributable to mobility strategy and phylogenesis, while H. sapiens talar variation results from the same factors plus footwear. Our results suggest that greater Neanderthal body mass and/or higher mechanical stress uniquely led to their habitually pronated foot posture., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Vascularized pedicled bone-grafting from the cuboid to the talus provides low donor site morbidity and satisfactory outcomes in patients with early-stage talar avascular necrosis. We investigated the anatomy of the rotational vascularized pedicled bone graft from the cuboid., Methods: 15 embalmed cadaver specimens were perfused with red latex via the popliteal artery. The lateral malleolus was dissected. The course of the lateral tarsal artery and the vascular territory in the cuboid supplied by the lateral tarsal artery were observed. Vessel diameters were measured., Results: The course of the lateral tarsal artery to the cuboid was consistent, and a vascularized pedicle of the lateral tarsal artery was present in all specimens. Mean diameter of the lateral tarsal artery was 1.40 ± 0.12 mm (range 1.67-1.25). Mean length of the vascularized pedicle was 67.15 ± 3.18 mm (range 62.43-74.36). The pedicle bone graft was long enough to reach the bony border of both the lateral and medial malleolus., Conclusion: A vascularized pedicled cuboid bone graft based on the lateral tarsal artery has clinical utility for early-stage talar avascular necrosis., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)