Like the upper limb, the lower limb is divided into three regions:
- The thigh is that portion of the lower limb located between the hip joint and knee joint.
- The leg is specifically the region between the knee joint and the ankle joint.
- Distal to the ankle is the foot.
The lower limb contains 30 bones. These are the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsal bones, metatarsal bones, and phalanges (Picture 1):
- The femur is the single bone of the thigh. The patella is the kneecap and articulates with the distal femur.
- The tibia is the larger, weight-bearing bone located on the medial side of the leg, and the fibula is the thin bone of the lateral leg.
- The bones of the foot are divided into three groups.
- The posterior portion of the foot is formed by a group of seven bones, each of which is known as a tarsal bone.
- The mid-foot contains five elongated bones, each of which is a metatarsal bone.
- The toes contain 14 small bones, each of which is a phalanx bone of the foot.
