Is More Better?

Your Podiatrist just informed you that you have an extra bone in your foot. You dont seem too upset, after all, more is typically better..right. No one complains when there is MORE ice cream, MORE episodes of Star Trek, MORE money in the bank. Unfortunately, your doctor says this extra bone could be a problem.

Before we cover the HOW, lets do a quick anatomy review.

The normal structure of the foot consists of 28 bones.

If you count the bones in the picture on the left, you only get 26.
That is because 27 and 28 are found on the bottom of the foot.
These are the sesamoid bones.

Accessory bones of the foot are not found in every person. There are multiple places that these extra bones can be found, some more common than others. Most of the time, these extra bones do not cause any problems and often go unnoticed until an X-ray of the foot is taken. These accessory bones have specific names, depending on location, and all begin with the word Os.

The Os tibiale externum, Os peroneum, AND Os Vesalianum are the most common ones that tend to cause more problems. Problems arise when the extra bone becomes too large, causing irritation and pain.

If you have any concern about the health of your feet, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Bowman at 713-467-8886 or visit Houston Foot Specialists on the web.

2013 Jeff Bowman., All Rights Reserved

Category: Bone Problems

Tags: Bone Problems, Extra Bones, Foot Anatomy, Foot Structure, Sesamoid Bones