• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Dr. David Sheba & Dr. Justin Sheba

CALL US PATIENT FORMS MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

  • Home
  • Meet Our Doctors
  • Services
    • Joint Replacement
    • Sports Medicine
    • General Orthopedics
    • Fracture Care
  • Contact Us

Anatomy of your toes

Your toes and feet take you places. You use them to stand, walk, run, and dance.

Foot anatomy is complicated, and more than half of the bones in the human body are in your feet. Feet have three main sections - the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot. Your toes are in the forefoot.

In the forefoot are five toes, or phalanges, and five longer bones, or metatarsals, that connect the toes to the midfoot.

Each phalange consists of three phalanx bones - the proximal, middle, and distal - with the exception of the big toe, which has only has proximal and distal bones.

The joint between the metatarsals and phalanges is called the Metatarsophalangeal Joint, or MTP joint. These MTP joints form the ball of the foot and help your toes flex and extend. The joint between the proximal and middle phalanx is known as the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint, or PIP joint. The PIP joint helps toes curl and grip.

All toes except the big toe are know as lesser toes. Lesser toes and their joints flex and contract by the action of muscles, tendons, and ligaments on the top and bottom of your feet.

When forces such as tight shoes or high heels bend your toes, conditions such as hammertoe and claw toe can occur over time. Your toes are forced to work harder in less space, and the resulting muscle and tendon imbalance causes muscles to shorten and toes to curl, and may worsen the condition.


All information provided on this website is for information purposes only. Every patient's case is unique and each patient should follow his or her doctor's specific instructions. Please discuss nutrition, medication and treatment options with your doctor to make sure you are getting the proper care for your particular situation. If you are seeking this information in an emergency situation, please call 911 and seek emergency help.

All materials copyright © 2020 Smith & Nephew, All Rights Reserved.

Footer

Smith & Nephew Library

You can now learn more about orthopedic conditions and procedures with our new library.

LEARN MORE

PATIENT EDUCATION

We want you to have the information you need about orthopedic conditions and treatments that affect you. Learn more in our interactive patient education library.

LEARN MORE

HomeMeet Our DoctorsServicesContact UsADA DisclaimerHIPAA Privacy PolicySitemap

Copyright © 2023 · Dr. David Sheba & Dr. Justin Sheba · All Rights Reserved

iHealthspot Medical Website Design and Medical Marketing by iHealthSpot.com

Dr. David Sheba and Dr. Justin Sheba are board-certified orthopedic surgeons in Uniontown, Pennsylvania specializing in orthopedic surgery, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and joint replacement surgery,