ABSTRACT
The foot and ankle joint complex (FAC) consists of several joints with different characteristics, which are involved in motion occurring between the foot and the lower leg. There is an interdependence of the FAC with the more proximal joints of the lower extremity. The great weight-bearing stresses to which these joints are subjected can result in a wide range of alignment and contribute to the diversity of difficulties in the joints of the FAC. The frequency of ankle and foot problems can be traced readily to the foot’s complex structure, the need to sustain large weightbearing stresses, and the multiple and somewhat competing functions that the foot must perform. Acting as both a shock attenuator and a power transmitter, the FAC meets its diverse requirements through its 28 bones that form 25 complex joints. These joints include the proximal and distal tibiofibular joints, the talocrural or ankle joint, the talocalcaneal or subtalar joint, the talonavicular and the calcaneal cuboid joints, the five tarsometatarsal joints, five metatarsophalangeal joints, and the interphalangeal joints.
