Quick Facts
Location: Foot.
Bone Type: Short bone.
Key Features: Proximal and distal articular surfaces, and second, third and fourth metatarsal articular facets.
Articulates With: Cuboid bone, navicular bone, intermediate cuneiform bone, second, third, and fourth metatarsal bones.
Arterial Supply: Dorsalis pedis artery.
Related parts of the anatomy
Key Features & Anatomical Relations
The lateral (third) cuneiform bone is one of the seven tarsal bones of the foot. It's wedge-shaped and is found in the distal row of tarsal bones. The lateral cuneiform bone is classified as a short bone and includes the following bony features:
- surfaces: dorsal, plantar, medial and lateral surfaces, and proximal and distal articular surfaces;
- landmarks: cuboid and intermediate cuneiform articular facets, and second, third and fourth metatarsal articular facets.
More information regarding these bony features can be found in the Surfaces and Landmarks tabs for this bone.
The lateral cuneiform bone is located:
- proximal to the third metatarsal bone;
- distal to the navicular bone;
- medial to the cuboid bone;
- lateral to the intermediate cuneiform bone.
It articulates with the:
- second, third and fourth metatarsal bones, contributing to the formation of the tarsometatarsal joints;
- navicular bone, contributing to the formation of the cuneonavicular joint;
- cuboid bone at the cuneocuboid joint;
- intermediate cuneiform bone, contributing to the formation of the intercuneiform joints.
The lateral cuneiform bone contributes to the formation of the medial longitudinal arch and transverse arch of the foot.
Ossification
Ossification of the lateral cuneiform bone occurs at one ossification center, which appears within the first year after birth (Standring, 2016).
Variations
In some individuals, the fourth metatarsal articular facet of lateral cuneiform bone is absent (Tubbs, Shoja and Loukas, 2016).
Surface Anatomy
With regard to surface anatomy, the dorsal surface of lateral cuneiform bone can be palpated proximal to the base of the third metatarsal bone.
List of Clinical Correlates
- Fracture of lateral cuneiform bone
- Intercuneiform coalition
- Naviculocuneiform coalition
- Cuboideocuneiform/cubocuneiform coalition
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
Tubbs, R. S., Shoja, M. M. and Loukas, M. (2016) Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. Wiley.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Cuneiform Bone
The Lisfranc joint is formed of the three cuneiform bones and cuboid bone proximally with the five metatarsal bases distally linked by capsule-ligamentous structures.
