phalanges

(noun)

The digital bones of the hands and feet (singular, phalanx).

Related Terms

  • appendages
  • Girdle

Examples of phalanges in the following topics:

  • Carpals, Metacarpals, and Phalanges (The Hand)

    • With the exception of the thumb, each digit contains a proximal, intermediate, and distal phalange; the thumb lacks an intermediate phalange.
    • The length of the phalanges decreases distally.
    • Fingers are made up of proximal, intermediate, and distal phalanges.
    • The thumb lacks an intermediate phalange.
    • The metacarpals connect the carpal bones of the wrist with the phalanges (finger bones).
  • Tarsals, Metatarsals, and Phalanges (The Foot)

    • The human ankle and foot bones include tarsals (ankle), metatarsals (middle bones), and phalanges (toes).
    • The proximal base articulates with the cuboid bones, and distally with the proximal phalanges, and each metatarsal also articulates laterally with adjacent metatarsals.
    • With the exception of the big toe, each digit contains a proximal, intermediate, and distal phalange; the big toe lacks an intermediate phalange.
    • The length of the phalanges decreases distally.
    • The foot contains the proximal tarsals that form the ankle and heel; intermediate metatarsals; and the distal phalanges that form the toes.
  • The Appendicular Skeleton

    • The hands  have 54 bones: The left and right carpals (wrist, 16), metacarpals (10), proximal phalanges (10), intermediate phalanges (8), and the distal phalanges (10).
    • The feet and ankles have 52 bones: The left and right tarsals (ankle, 14), metatarsals (10), proximal phalanges (10), intermediate phalanges (8), and distal phalanges (10).
    • The fingers and thumb contain a total of 14 bones, called phalanges.
    • These consist of the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsal bones, metatarsal bones, and phalanges.
    • The bones of the foot are divided into three groups, the tarsal bones, metatarsal bones, and phalanges of the foot. 
  • Overview of the Appendicular Skeleton

    • There are many constituents in the hand and wrist; the left and right carpals (16 bones in the wrist), Metacarpals (10 bones), Proximal phalanges (10 bones), Middle phalanges (eight bones), and Distal phalanges (10 bones).
    • Feet and ankle (52 bones) - The feet and ankle consist of the tarsals (14 bones in the ankle), Metatarsals (10 bones), Proximal phalanges (10 bones), Middle phalanges (eight bones), and Distal phalanges (10 bones).
  • Human Appendicular Skeleton

    • The hand includes the eight bones of the carpus (wrist), the five bones of the metacarpus (palm), and the 14 bones of the phalanges (digits).
    • Each digit consists of three phalanges, except for the thumb, which, when present, has only two.
    • The metatarsals are the five bones of the foot, while the phalanges are the 14 bones of the toes .
    • The lower limb consists of the thigh (femur), kneecap (patella), leg (tibia and fibula), ankle (tarsals), and foot (metatarsals and phalanges) bones.
    • This drawing shows the bones of the human foot and ankle, including the metatarsals and the phalanges.
  • Muscles that Cause Movement at the Foot

    • Actions - Flexes the toes at the proximal interphalangeal (between the phalanges preoxmales and phalanges mediae) joints.
    • Actions - Flexes at the metatarsophalangeal (between the metatarsals and phalanges proximale) joints, while extending the interphalangeal joints (between the phalanges proximale and phalanges mediae).
    • Attaches to the medial sides of the phalanges of digits three to five.
  • Bone and Joint Disorders

    • Gout presenting in the metatarsal-phalangeal joint of the big toe: Note the slight redness of the skin overlying the joint.
  • Gross Anatomy

Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Calculus
  • Chemistry
  • Communications
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

Except where noted, content and user contributions on this site are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 with attribution required.