Foot Structure w/ Tarsal Joint

Our foot has 28 bones per foot. And it can divide by two part: the arch and the toes. 14 foot bones make the arch part & 14 bones make the 5 toes. And the foot has two functions: weight bearing and walking.

The arch part is for the weight bearing, & it is constructed with the Tarsal Joint that involves 12 foot bones. They are 7 tarsal bones & 5 metatarsal bones. These 12 foot bones are arranged as a 3D puzzle. So, the Tarsal Joint is a group of small joints. There are about 17 small joints. & this Tarsal Joint had very tiny, 1-2mm of up & down motion that works as a shock absorber.

When we make a step, our entire body weight has to pass through this Tarsal joint. So, this Tarsal joint was meant to be supported. And if we don’t use the correct orthotics that aligning both anklebones at the same height, this tassel joint definitely falls with each step & misaligns the entire foot bones, including the anklebone. This systemically misaligns the entire body structure that stands on the anklebones.

So, basically, the tarsal joint is the foundation of our body. So when it falls, our body will have structural problems & that entails the mechanical problems.

And the walking is done by ankle joint and the ball of the foot joint. The toes are for smooth weight transaction from one foot to the other foot.

The arch part can be divided by two parts: medial arch and lateral arch. The medial arch is constructed with anklebone & other 7 bones in front of the anklebone: the anklebone group makes the medial arch, which is higher than the lateral arch, which is constructed with the heel bone & other 3 bones in front of the heel bone.

Our leg stands on the medial arch, so our body weight should fall straight onto the medial arch. Under the medial arch is the thicker plantar muscle that works as a built-in cushion than the lateral arch.

When walking our entire body weight has to pass through the Tarsal Joint. And the foot is meant to walk on the soft soil with bare foot. Then the soft soil filled in under the arch. But on flat & hard floors, we need to use the correct orthotics that align both anklebones at the same height.