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Phalanges of Toes

The toes functionally are much less important compared to the fingers. However, anatomically the phalanges of both extremities are very similar, which allows the use of the toes as the autotransplant to substitute the lost fingers with a good aesthetic and functional outcome, including the recovery of sensitivity*.

  • * Yu, Z. & Huang, Y. Sixty-four cases of thumb and finger reconstruction using transplantation of the big toe skin-nail flap combined with the second toe or the second and third toes. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2000, 106(2):335–341.
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    Phalanges of toes. The plantar view Bones of the foot. The plantar view
    Ossa digitorum pedis et ossa sesamoidea in situ. The dorsal view.
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    Phalanges of toes. The plantar view Bones of the foot. The plantar view
    Ossa digitorum pedis et ossa sesamoidea in situ. The plantar view.
    The list of terms: Tarsus
    Metatarsus
    Ossa digitorum pedis – Phalanges of toes
    Os metatarsale I, II, III, V et VI – 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th metatarsal bone
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    Phalanges of toes. The dorsal view.
    Ossa digitorum pedis et ossa sesamoidea in situ. The dorsal view.
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    Phalanges of toes. The plantar view
    Ossa digitorum pedis et ossa sesamoidea in situ. The plantar view.
    The list of terms: Phalanx proximialis – Proximal phalanx
    Phalanx media – Middle phalanx
    Phalanx distalis – Distal phalanx
    Icon of crossfade image The phalanges of the 1<sup>st</sup> toe
    The phalanges of the big toe in situ The phalanges of the 1st toe, the 1st metatarsal bone and related sesamoid bones ex situ
    The bones of the big toe (hallux) in situ & ex situ
    Just like the thumb, the 1st toe consists of only two phalanges – the proximal and distal. The sesamoid bones depicted above are almost invariably enclosed in the tendons of the flexor hallucis brevis muscle. The other location foot sesamoid bones are less commonly present*.
    The list of terms: Phalanx proximialis – Proximal phalanx
    Phalanx distalis – Distal phalanx
    Os metatarsale I – 1st metatarsal bone
    Ossa sesamoidea – Sesamoid bones
    Tuberositas phalangis distalis – Distal tuberosity of toe
    Caput phalangis proximalis – Head of the proximal phalanx
    Basis phalangis distalis – Base of the distal phalanx
    Basis phalangis proximalis – Base of the proximal phalanx
  • * Yammine, K. The sesamoids of the feet in humans: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Anat Sci Int, 2015; 90(3):144–160.
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    Icon of crossfade image The phalanges of the 2nd toe
    Multiple aspects of the 2nd toe's bones The bones of the 2nd toe with the anatomical terminology markup
    The phalanges of the 2nd toe together with the metatarsal bone
    Please note the compact shape of the middle and distal phalanx deformed by the muscle's tendons attached to the bases and the relatively narrow articular gap between the phalanges, reflecting the <0.5 mm thickness of the cartilage covering the articular surfaces within the interphalangeal joints*.
  • * Podolsky D, et al. Comparison of third toe joint cartilage thickness to that of the finger proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint to determine suitability for transplantation in PIP joint reconstruction. J Hand Surg. 2011; 36(12):1950–1958.
    • First published: 13/Jan/2021