The ankle, the talocrural region[1] or the jumping bone (informal) is the area where the foot and the leg meet.[2] The ankle includes three joints: the ankle joint proper or talocrural joint, the subtalar joint, and the inferior tibiofibular joint.[3][4][5] The movements produced at this joint are dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the foot. In common usage, the term ankle refers exclusively to the ankle region. In medical terminology, "ankle" (without qualifiers) can refer broadly to the region or specifically to the talocrural joint.[1][6]
The main bones of the ankle region are the talus (in the foot), the tibia, and fibula (both in the leg). The talocrural joint is a synovialhinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus.[7] The articulation between the tibia and the talus bears more weight than that between the smaller fibula and the talus.
^ abMoore, Keith L.; Dalley, Arthur F.; Agur, A. M. R. (2013). "Lower Limb". Clinically Oriented Anatomy (7th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 508–669. ISBN978-1-4511-1945-9.
^WebMD (2009). "ankle". Webster's New World Medical Dictionary (3rd ed.). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 22. ISBN978-0-544-18897-6.
^Williams, D. S. Blaise; Taunton, Jack (2007). "Foot, ankle and lower leg". In Kolt, Gregory S.; Snyder-Mackler, Lynn (eds.). Physical Therapies in Sport and Exercise. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 420–39. ISBN978-0-443-10351-3.