The bones of the leg are connected to the bones of the foot with the ankle joint (articulatio talocruralis).

The bones forming the joint are fibula (fibula), tibia (tibia), and talus (talus).

This joint is formed between the articular surface of the medial malleolus (facies articularis malleoli medialis), the articular surface of the lateral malleolus (facies articularis malleoli lateralis), the inferior articular surface of the tibia (facies articularis inferior), the trochlea of the talus (trochlea tali), the medial malleolar facet (facies malleolaris medialis) and the lateral malleolar facet (facies malleolaris lateralis) of the talus.

The articular capsule on the anterior surface of the leg bones and on the talus bone inserts near the articular cartilage, and on the posterior and lateral ones — along the line of articular cartilage.

According to the classification, the joint is complex, hinge, uniaxial, combined (with the subtalar joint (articulatio subtalaris) and with the talocalcaneonavicular joint (articulatio talocalcaneonavicularis).

In the joint, dorsal and plantar flexion around the frontal axis may take place.

Minor lateral motions may also occur with plantar flexion.

The ligamentous apparatus of the joint consists of several ligaments.

• These include the medial collateral or deltoid ligament (ligamentum collaterale mediale or deltoideum), which arises from the medial calcaneus, descends and inserts into the navicular bone, talus and calcaneus bones.

  

  

  

  The ligament consists of four parts:

  the tibionavicular (pars tibionavicularis),

  

  tibiocalcaneal (pars tibiocalcanea),

  

  anterior tibiotalar (pars tibiotalaris anterior)

  

  and posterior tibiotalar parts (pars tibiotalaris posterior).

  

• The anterior talofibular ligament (ligamentum talofibulare anterius) connects the external surface of the lateral malleolus with the neck of the talus.

  

  

• The posterior talofibular ligament (ligamentum tabofibulare posterius) arises from the lateral malleolus, passes posteriorly and inserts into the posterior process of the talus.

  

  

  

• The calcaneofibular ligament (ligamentum calcaneofibulare) arises from on the lateral malleolus, passes inferiorly and inserts into the external surface of the calcaneus.

  

  

  

  The following vessels and nerves take part in the blood supply and innervation of the joint.

• Arteries: anterior tibial artery (a. tibialis anterior), posterior tibial artery (a. tibialis posterior)

• Veins: the blood outflows to the veins with the same name

• Nerves: sciatic nerve (n. ischiadicus)

Dictionary

Ankle joint

Ankle joint

articulatio talocruralis

Fibula

fibula

Tibia

tibia

Talus

talus

Articular surface of the medial malleolus

facies articularis malleoli medialis

Articular surface of the lateral malleolus

facies articularis malleoli lateralis

Trochlea of the talus

trochlea tali

Medial malleolar facet

facies malleolaris medialis

Lateral malleolar facet

facies malleolaris lateralis

Medial ligament

ligamentum mediale

Tibionavicular part

pars tibionavicularis

Tibiocalcaneal part

pars tibiocalcanea

Anterior tibiotalar part

pars tibiotalaris anterior

Posterior tibiotalar part

pars tibiotalaris anterior

Anterior talofibular ligament

ligamentum talofibulare anterius

Posterior talofibular ligament

ligamentum talofibulare posterior

Calcaneofibular ligament

ligamentum calcaneofibulare