Metatarsal bones and phalanges

Author: Scott A. Sheffield MS

Last update:

Introduction to the Metatarsal Bones & Phalanges:

Metatarsal Bones; (Gr., meta beyond + tarsos, ankle) – five bones found in the sole of the foot. The metatarsals are labeled with numbers, starting with the big toe, which is the 1st metatarsal.

  1. image description1st metatarsal
  2. image description2nd metatarsal
  3. image description3rd metatarsal
  4. image description4th metatarsal
  5. image description5th metatarsal
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 1st metatarsal bone highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 2nd metatarsal bone highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 3rd metatarsal bone highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 4th metatarsal bone highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 5th metatarsal bone highlighted in green
Superior view of the metatarsal bones.
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Phalanx Bones; (Gr., phalanx, closely knit row) – fourteen bones. Each toe consists of three phalanges (pl. of phalanx), except the big toe, which consists of two. Since the phalanges are arranged in rows, the name of each phalanx is based on its row and position number. The first phalanges are located in the big toe.

Proximal Phalanges:

  1. image description1st proximal phalanx
  2. image description2nd proximal phalanx
  3. image description3rd proximal phalanx
  4. image description4th proximal phalanx
  5. image description5th proximal phalanx
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 1st proximal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 2nd proximal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 3rd proximal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 4th proximal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 5th proximal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the proximal phalanges
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Middle Phalanges:

  1. image description2nd middle phalanx
  2. image description3rd middle phalanx
  3. image description4th middle phalanx
  4. image description5th middle phalanx

Use these interactive bones of the foot quizzes to improve your identification skills.

Superior view of the foot and ankle bones
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 2nd middle phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 3rd middle phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 4th middle phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 5th middle phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the middle phalanges
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Distal Phalanges:

  1. image description1st distal phalanx
  2. image description2nd distal phalanx
  3. image description3rd distal phalanx
  4. image description4th distal phalanx
  5. image description5th distal phalanx
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 1st distal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 2nd distal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 3rd distal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 4th distal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the foot and ankle bones with the 5th distal phalanx highlighted in green
Superior view of the distal phalanges
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Test yourself:

Superior (dorsal) View: [image descriptionShow/image descriptionHide answers]

Test yourself image for the metatarsal bones and phalanges with answers hidden
test yourself image for the metatarsal bones and phalanges with answers shown: distal phalanx, middle phalanx, proximal phalanx, metetarsal
Review the metatarsal bones and phalanges and test yourself.
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