Middle Facet For Calcaneus Of The Talus, Inferior View

Description

Talus anatomy dominates the frame in an inferior perspective, centering on the middle calcaneal facet, an oval articular surface on the plantar aspect of the talar neck. Medial to the facet, the sulcus tali forms a groove that contributes to the tarsal canal, while the talar head lies anterior and slightly medial, transitioning toward the navicular articular surface. Posterior to the middle facet, the larger posterior calcaneal facet occupies the talar body, separated by the sulcus, and lateral contouring leads toward the sinus tarsi region. Edges of nonarticular bone surrounding the facet clarify the boundary between cartilage-bearing surface and the adjacent neck. Subtalar biomechanics hinge on the congruity between this middle facet and the sustentaculum tali of the calcaneus, a relationship that becomes clinically salient in hindfoot pain, subtalar instability, and post-traumatic arthritis after talar neck fractures. Alignment is everything. In calcaneonavicular or talocalcaneal coalition, the middle facet region and tarsal canal anatomy help explain restricted inversion and eversion and the common radiologic finding of bridging near the sustentaculum. The fixed inferior viewpoint makes the separation between the middle and posterior facets easy to teach, and it supports discussions of sinus tarsi approach portals and the joint surface preparation required for subtalar arthrodesis without distracting dorsal landmarks. Orthopedic foot and ankle lectures, gross anatomy labs, and radiology correlation modules (CT of the subtalar joint and tarsal canal) can pair this illustration with clinical cases of talar neck fracture, subtalar arthritis grading, and coalition workups. Medical publishers will also find it well suited for atlas plates highlighting talocalcaneal joint surfaces and the concept of facet-specific load transmission through the hindfoot. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.