the.com/metatarsal
The five bones that turn your foot's arch into a working lever, not just a flat shelf.
means Any of the five long bones in the middle of your foot, connecting the ankle bones to the toes.
from Built from Greek roots: 'meta-' meaning after or beyond, plus 'tarsos,' the flat part of the foot. So metatarsal literally means 'beyond the tarsus' — the tarsal bones form the ankle and rear foot, and the metatarsals pick up right where they leave off, extending the skeleton forward into the toes.
- location
- Between ankle bones and toes, the foot's long midsection
- common injury
- Fifth metatarsal fracture, the classic dancer's break
- stress fracture nickname
- Marchers fracture, from soldiers walking long distances
- function
- Acts as a spring, storing energy for push off