Medial longitudinal arch is the most prominent of the three arches
Anatomically, the medial longitudinal arch is the most prominent of the three arches, and runs from the front through to the rear along the inside continuum of the foot (Myers, 1997). It is located on the medial part of the foot between the top of the first metatarsal bone and the calcaneal tuberosity. Studies also demonstrate that it is the highest arch of the three, measuring about 1cm. According to Buchanan & Berlet (2009) “…the medial arch is composed of the calcaneus, talus, cuneiforms, and the first through third metatarsals†(para. 18). Other bones that make up the medial arch include the navicular and sesamoid. The talus, supporting the weight of the body from above, is joined into the navicular from its rounded forward end. The navicular in turn offers support to the three cuneiform bones and their corresponding metatarsals (Myers, 1997). This explains why the first three toes of the foot are associated with the medial longitudinal arc. The interlocking capability of these bones coupled with the orientation of the joints and input from several tendons forces the bones into an arch (Sellers, n.d).
