Foot, Ankle & Lower-Leg Evaluation – Key Vocabulary

A vocabulary set covering history components, foot alignments, arches, toe deformities, bony & ligamentous structures, joint motions, muscular compartments, nerve and blood supply for foot/ankle assessment.

Chief Concern

The primary complaint or problem reported by the patient during history taking.

Mechanism of Injury (MOI)

How an injury occurred; includes direction, force, and activity at onset.

Forefoot Varus

Inward (inverted) positioning of the forefoot relative to the rearfoot when subtalar joint is neutral.

Forefoot Valgus

Outward (everted) positioning of the forefoot relative to the rearfoot when subtalar joint is neutral.

Rearfoot Varus

Inverted calcaneus relative to the tibia in subtalar neutral.

Rearfoot Valgus

Everted calcaneus relative to the tibia in subtalar neutral.

Pes Planus

Flatfoot; loss or absence of the medial longitudinal arch.

Pes Cavus

High-arched foot; excessively elevated medial longitudinal arch.

Medial Longitudinal Arch

Arch running from calcaneus through talus, navicular, cuneiforms to 1st-3rd metatarsals.

Lateral Longitudinal Arch

Lower arch on the lateral side, spanning calcaneus to 4th-5th metatarsals.

Transverse Arch

Arch across the midfoot formed by cuneiforms and cuboid.

Claw Toe

Hyperextension of the MTP joint with flexion of PIP and DIP joints.

Hammer Toe

Flexion deformity at PIP joint with normal DIP and MTP alignment.

Morton’s Toe

Second metatarsal longer than the first, giving appearance of a long second toe.

Bunion (Hallux Valgus)

Medial deviation of 1st metatarsal and lateral deviation of hallux with bony enlargement.

Callus

Thickened area of skin caused by repeated friction or pressure.

Corn

Localized thickening of skin, often over bony prominences; has a central core.

Plantar Wart

Viral skin lesion on plantar surface caused by HPV, often painful with pressure.

Tibiofibular Joint

Syndesmotic joint between tibia and fibula (proximal & distal) allowing slight rotation and spreading.

Talocrural Joint

Ankle mortise joint formed by tibia, lateral malleolus of fibula, and talus; allows dorsiflexion and plantarflexion.

Subtalar Joint

Articulation between talus and calcaneus; primary motions are inversion and eversion.

Dorsiflexion (DF)

Upward movement of foot at talocrural joint; 10°–30° normal ROM; closed-packed position; more stable in FULL dorsiflexion

Plantarflexion (PF)

Downward pointing of foot at talocrural jointfoot; 45°–65° normal ROM; 10° PF is open-packed position.

Subtalar Joint

Lies between talus; facets of talus articulates with sustentaculum tali on superior calcareous

Inversion

Movement of plantar surface toward midline; 30°–50° at subtalar joint.

Eversion

Movement of plantar surface away from midline; 15°–30° at subtalar joint.

Supination (Open Chain)

Combined inversion + plantarflexion + adduction of the foot when non-weight-bearing.

Pronation (Open Chain)

Combined eversion + dorsiflexion + abduction in non-weight-bearing.

Supination (Closed Chain)

Calcaneal inversion, talar dorsiflexion, and adduction during weight-bearing.

Pronation (Closed Chain)

Calcaneal eversion, talar plantarflexion, and abduction during weight-bearing.

Anterior Talofibular Ligament (ATFL)

Primary lateral ankle ligament; resists inversion in plantarflexion.

Calcaneofibular Ligament (CFL)

Lateral ligament resisting inversion in neutral dorsiflexion.

Posterior Talofibular Ligament (PTFL)

Strongest lateral ligament; resists posterior talar displacement.

Deltoid Ligament

Medial ankle ligament complex (tibiotalar, tibiocalcaneal, tibionavicular fibers) preventing eversion.

Spring Ligament

Plantar calcaneonavicular ligament supporting head of talus and medial arch.

Anterior Compartment

Lower-leg compartment containing Tibialis Anterior, EDL, EHL, and Peroneus Tertius.

Superficial Posterior Compartment

Contains Gastrocnemius, Soleus, and Plantaris (triceps surae complex).

Deep Posterior Compartment

‘Tom, Dick, and Nervous Harry’: Tibialis Posterior, FDL, Tibial artery, Tibial nerve, FHL.

Lateral Compartment

Houses Peroneus Longus and Peroneus Brevis muscles.

Does eversion

Deep Peroneal Nerve

Motor to TA, EHL, EDL; sensory to first web space of foot.

Superficial Peroneal Nerve

Motor to PL and PB; sensory to dorsum of foot and lateral lower leg.

Tibial Nerve

Motor to triceps surae, TP, FHL, FDL; sensory to plantar surface of foot.

Anterior Tibial Artery

Supplies anterior compartment; continues as dorsalis pedis on the dorsum of the foot.

Posterior Tibial Artery

Supplies posterior compartments; branches into medial and lateral plantar arteries.

Peroneal (Fibular) Artery

Branch of posterior tibial artery supplying lateral compartment.