The human foot is one of the most important parts of the body, without which movement would be impossible. With each step, this part accounts for 125-250% of the total weight of a person. Average people take more than 4 thousand steps a day, which is a colossal load.
The structure of the foot has not changed for several centuries, and all diseases and defects are caused by the constant wearing of uncomfortable and incorrect shoes. In order to understand how this part of the bodies works, you need to understand what the leg consists of - the structure of the foot.
Leg - foot structure
Feet come in different types, thicknesses, sizes, and even the location and length of the toes.
There are 3 options in total:
- Greek is the rarest species in which the index toe is longer than the big one.
- Egyptian is the most common type, the length of the fingers follows a falling line.
- Roman - 1/3 of the population has such a foot, its distinctive feature is the same length of the thumb and forefinger.
Despite what loads the foot can withstand, it is also a very vulnerable point of the human body. With an incorrect or abrupt movement, you can get a sprain or rupture of the ligaments, which entails a long and not the most pleasant treatment.
Fractures and cracks also occur quite often, especially the phalanges of the fingers and the heel bone. But the restoration of such parts of the foot is very long and can take from 1 to 6 months.
Foot bones
An ordinary person without defects and abnormalities in the foot has 26 different bones. It should be noted that in case of serious damage to at least one of them, the biomechanics of walking is disrupted, to the point that a person may even be painful to step on the foot. All toes have three phalanges, and the big one has only two.
List of bones:
- phalanges of the fingers (proximal, middle and distal);
- metatarsal;
- scaphoid;
- tubercle of the heel;
- calcaneal;
- cuboid;
- ramming;
- talus block;
- head of the talus;
- wedge-shaped.
Joints and cartilage
Joints are the movable connection of two or more bones in one place. The places where they touch are called cartilage (special connective tissue). It is because of this that a person can move easily and smoothly. The most important joint is the ankle joint. It is he who is captured in martial arts and begins to twist.
The rupture of these tendons is not only very painful, but also traumatic, up to and including disability. The ankle, in fact, connects the leg to the foot and is the key part. There are also metatarsophalangeal joints, which, as the name suggests, connect the phalanges of the toes with the metatarsal bone.
Tendons and ligaments
Tendons are extensions of muscles that connect them to bones. There are several types: in the form of jumpers, shorter, longer, wide and narrow. But despite their external differences, the task is the same for everyone.
Tendons are made up of bundles somewhat similar to the structure of normal human muscles. They are very durable and practically non-elastic.
The most common foot injury is a sprain. It usually occurs in the ankle after a sudden movement, incorrect position of the leg, or special stretching.
With the lightest injury, a slight tension occurs, with a medium one, individual micro-tears of tissues appear, and in the most difficult ones, a rupture of the entire tendon. Complete damage to these tissues entails prolonged recovery without the ability to walk. Ligaments are the tissue that connects joints and holds them in their original position.
Muscles of the foot
The muscles of the foot are divided into two groups: the plantar and the back. There are 19 of them in total. Although few people know what they are for, the entire biomechanics of movement depends on these muscle groups.
If they are damaged or weak, you can injure the foot or any of its components. The muscle groups of the foot cannot be developed or improved mechanically. They get stronger with more movement: walking, running, jumping, and so on.
On the lower part of the leg there is a medial, middle and lateral muscle group, they are also called flexors. On the dorsum of the foot are the short extensor muscle and the flat muscle.
Blood supply
Blood enters the foot through two arteries: the anterior and posterior tibial arteries. In the same way, the necessary nutrients get to the foot, being distributed through the vessels and capillaries directly into the tissues. Then the blood is pumped back using 4 veins: two deep and two superficial.
The largest of them is large subcutaneous, which begins on the big toes from the inside. Parallel to the large is the small vein. The tibial veins are located in the front and back of the limbs. They are an extension of the popliteal artery.
Innervation
Innervation is the nerves that provide communication with the human central nervous system.
In the skin of the foot, it is carried out with the help of these nerves:
- subcutaneous;
- back literal;
- anterior medial;
- rear intermediate.
The first three nerves cover the peroneal, which in turn departs from the tibial. It transmits impulses from the middle of the ankle and in rare cases to the edges of the thumb.
The medial nerve is responsible for the area of the upper part of the thumb, index and middle fingers. Intermediate cutaneous sends impulses in the area of the ring finger and little finger. The literal nerve is responsible for the lateral portion of the entire foot.
In nature, there are also cases when an individual person does not have one of these nerves and the other is responsible for the site. On the back of the foot, the medial nerve transmits impulses to the middle part, and the lateral one to the rest of the skin.
One of the common diseases in which damage occurs, the innervation of the foot, is neuropathy.
With this ailment, the peripheral nervous system of the limbs suffers. This is manifested in increased sensitivity of the skin to stimuli, non-voluntary movements, deformation of the muscles of the foot.
This disease appears due to:
- excessive intake of alcoholic beverages;
- drug use;
- genetic mutation;
- liver problems;
- diabetes mellitus;
- prolonged exposure to the skin of toxic substances;
- constant lack of vitamins in the body;
- infectious diseases.
If these diseases are not treated, it can lead to the appearance of ulcers and cracks on the skin, and subsequently result in paralysis of the limbs. The restoration of the nervous system of any part of the body is a long, complex and not always possible process. The sooner treatment is started with such a problem, the more chances to correct the situation.
The foot is one of the most important parts of the human musculoskeletal system. Since this is the lowest part of the body, this part is most stressed during almost any household activity.
In case of injury or any painful sensations in the foot, you should immediately contact a specialist, since in some cases this can lead to irreparable consequences. To reduce the risk of injury and strengthen the foot, tendons must be developed. This is achieved through constant training and sports.
