Talus bone

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Bone: Talus bone
Image:Subtalar Joint.PNG
Subtalar Joint
Latin	Astragalus
Gray's	subject #63 266
MeSH	Talus

See talus for other meanings of the word

The talus bone or astragalus of the ankle joint connects the leg to the foot.

The talus is the second largest of the tarsal bones.

It articulates with the tibia, fibula, calcaneus, and navicular.

It occupies the middle and upper part of the tarsus, supporting the tibia above, resting upon the calcaneus below, articulating on either side with the lateral and medial malleoli, and in front with the navicular.

1 The neck (collum tali)
2 The head (caput tali)
3 Use as dice
4 Additional images
5 External links

[edit] The neck (collum tali)

The neck is directed forward and medialward, and comprises the constricted portion of the bone he oval head.

Its upper and medial surfaces are rough, for the attachment of ligaments; its lateral surface is concave and is talocalcaneal ligament.

[edit] The head (caput tali)

The head looks forward and medialward; its anterior articular or navicular surface is large, oval, and convex.

Its inferior surface has two facets, which are best seen in the fresh condition.

The medial, situated in front of the middle calcaneal facet, is convex, triangular, or semi-oval in shape, and rests on the plantar calcaneonavicular ligament; the lateral, named the anterior calcaneal articular surface, is somewhat flattened, and articulates with the facet on the upper surface of the anterior part of the calcaneus.

[edit] Use as dice

Due to the way that the talus bone is shaped, it can land in one of four positions. This fact led to the bone assuming a role as a form of die in games of chance and gambling, such as Knucklebones.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Additional images

Ankle.PNG Lateral view of the human ankle, including the talus	Gray268.png Bones of the right foot. Dorsal surface.	Gray269.png Bones of the right foot. Plantar surface.	Gray270.png Left talus, from above.
Gray271.png Left talus, from below.	Gray272.png Left talus, medial surface.	Gray273.png Left talus, lateral surface.	Gray290.png Skeleton of foot. Medial aspect.
Gray291.png Skeleton of foot. Lateral aspect.	Gray356.png Capsule of left talocrura articulation (distended). Lateral aspect.	Gray357.png Coronal section through right talocrural and talocalcaneal joints.	Gray360.png Oblique section of left intertarsal and tarsometatarsal articulations, showing the synovial cavities.

[edit] External links

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

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Bones of lower limbs

Femur

head of femur (fovea capitis femoris) · neck of femur · greater trochanter · trochanteric fossa · lesser trochanter · tubercle of the femur · intertrochanteric line · intertrochanteric crest · linea quadrata

body (linea aspera, third trochanter, pectineal line, adductor tubercle)

lower extremity (lateral condyle, medial condyle, lateral epicondyle, medial epicondyle, patellar surface)

Tibia

upper extremity	medial condyle · lateral condyle · intercondyloid eminence · tuberosity of the tibia · posterior intercondyloid fossa · anterior intercondyloid fossa
body	soleal line
lower extremity	medial malleolus