The metatarsophalangeal joints (MTP joints) are the

joint A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

s between the

metatarsal bones The metatarsal bones or metatarsus (: metatarsi) are a group of five long bones in the midfoot, located between the tarsal bones (which form the heel and the ankle) and the phalanges ( toes). Lacking individual names, the metatarsal bones are ...

of the foot and the proximal bones (

proximal phalanges The phalanges (: phalanx ) are digital bones in the hands and feet of most vertebrates. In primates, the thumbs and big toes have two phalanges while the other digits have three phalanges. The phalanges are classed as long bones. Struct ...

) of the

toe Toes are the digits of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being ''digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being ''plantigrade''; ...

s. They are analogous to the

knuckle The knuckles are the joints of the fingers. The word is cognate to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as the Dutch "knokkel" (knuckle) or German "Knöchel" (ankle), i.e., ''Knöchlein'', the diminutive of the German word for bone ( ...

s of the

hand A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered appendage located at the end of the forearm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs. A few other vertebrates such as the Koala#Characteristics, koala (which has two thumb#O ...

, and are consequently known as toe knuckles in common speech. They are

condyloid joint A condyloid joint (also called condylar, ellipsoidal, or bicondylar) is an ovoid articular surface, or condyle that is received into an elliptical cavity. This permits movement in two planes, allowing flexion, extension, adduction, abduction ...

s, meaning that an elliptical or rounded surface (of the metatarsal bones) comes close to a shallow cavity (of the proximal phalanges). The region of skin directly below the joints forms the

ball A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but sometimes ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for s ...

of the foot. The

ligaments A ligament is a type of fibrous connective tissue in the body that connects bones to other bones. It also connects flight feathers to bones, in dinosaurs and birds. All 30,000 species of amniotes (land animals with internal bones) have ligam ...

are the plantar and two collateral.

Movements

The movements permitted in the metatarsophalangeal joints are

flexion Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terminology, anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of Organ (anatomy), organs, joints, Limb (anatomy), limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminology used de ...

, extension, abduction,

adduction Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of organs, joints, limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminology used describes this motion according to its direction relativ ...

and circumduction. File:The feet of C. H. Unthan, the armless fiddler Wellcome L0034227.jpg, Left: toes adducted (pulled towards the center) and spread (abducted); right, both feet clenched (plantar flexed) File:Footgym rings1.jpg, The upper foot is clenching (plantarflexing) at the MTP joints and at the joints of the toes; the central foot is lifting the toes (dorsiflexing) at the MTP joints; and the foot flat on the ground off to the side is in a neutral position. File:02.04.Independence.WDC.4jul05 (24107356).jpg, Kneeling with the MTP joints dorsiflexed (except the MTP joint of the little toe) File:Reproducibility-of-and-sex-differences-in-common-orthopaedic-ankle-and-foot-tests-in-runners-1471-2474-15-171-S3.ogv, Measuring the dorsiflexion of the MTP joints

References

External links

Diagram at webmd.com
Joints Toes {{musculoskeletal-stub

Movements

See also

References

External links