Cuneiform bones

There are three cuneiform ("wedge-shaped") bones in the human foot:

  • the first or medial cuneiform
  • the second or intermediate cuneiform, also known as the middle cuneiform
  • the third or lateral cuneiform
Cuneiform bones; Cuneiform
Red=medial; yellow=intermediate; green=lateral
Cuneiform bones of the left foot
Details
Identifiers
Latinos cuneiformis
pl. ossa cuneiformia
FMA71339
Anatomical terms of bone

They are located between the navicular bone and the first, second and third metatarsal bones and are medial to the cuboid bone.[1]

Structure

There are three cuneiform bones:

  1. The medial cuneiform (also known as first cuneiform) is the largest of the cuneiforms. It is situated at the medial side of the foot, anterior to the navicular bone and posterior to the base of the first metatarsal. Lateral to it is the intermediate cuneiform. It articulates with four bones: the navicular, second cuneiform, and first and second metatarsals. The tibialis anterior and fibularis longus muscle inserts at the medial cuneiform bone.[2]
  2. The intermediate cuneiform (second cuneiform or middle cuneiform) is shaped like a wedge, the thin end pointing downwards. The intermediate cuneiform is situated between the other two cuneiform bones (the medial and lateral cuneiforms), and articulates with the navicular posteriorly, the second metatarsal anteriorly and with the other cuneiforms on either side.
  3. The lateral cuneiform (also known as third cuneiform or external cuneiform) intermediate in size between the other two cuneiform bones, is also wedge-shaped, the base being uppermost. It occupies the center of the front row of the tarsal bones, between the intermediate cuneiform medially, the cuboid laterally, the navicular posteriorly and the third metatarsal in front. The tibialis posterior inserts at the medial cuneiform, while the flexor hallucis brevis originates from it.[2]

Muscle attachments

MuscleDirectionAttachment[2]
Tibialis anteriorInsertionMedial cuneiform
Fibularis longusInsertionMedial cuneiform
Tibialis posteriorInsertionMedial cuneiform
Flexor hallucis brevisOriginLateral cuneiform

Additional images

Other animals

See also

  • Cuneiform, for writing by pressing a wedge-shaped reed into wet clay.

References

  1. Bojsen-Møller, Finn; Simonsen, Erik B.; Tranum-Jensen, Jørgen (2001). Bevægeapparatets anatomi [Anatomy of the Locomotive Apparatus] (in Danish) (12th ed.). p. 245. ISBN 978-87-628-0307-7.
  2. Bojsen-Møller, Finn; Simonsen, Erik B.; Tranum-Jensen, Jørgen (2001). Bevægeapparatets anatomi [Anatomy of the Locomotive Apparatus] (in Danish) (12th ed.). pp. 364–367. ISBN 978-87-628-0307-7.
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