Heel

General What is the heel bone? Anatomy Function Associated pathologies

Generality

The calcaneus is one of the 7 bones that make up the tarsus of the foot, as well as the bony element constituting the so-called heel.
Protagonist of several joints - including the ankle joint proper - the calcaneus borders on the talus, above, and with the cuboid bone, on the front. Talus and cuboid bone are two other tarsal bones.

In the calcaneus, anatomists recognize 6 surfaces: the dorsal (or superior) surface, the plantar (or inferior) surface, the posterior surface, the anterior surface, the medial surface and the lateral surface.
The calcaneus serves to transfer the body weight to the ground, which rests on the lower limbs, and to provide the insertion of muscles and ligaments fundamental to the plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, eversion and inversion movements of the foot and to the knee flexion movements.