Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyFunctionFractureVertical TalusTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy
Function
Fracture
Vertical Talus
Treatment
The talus bone is a bone in your ankle located towards the top part of the back of your foot. It serves as a perch for the tibia and holds the weight of your entire body. The talus is considered a short bone and is one of the main bones of the ankle.
The talus bone is a little longer than 5 centimeters in women and a bit over 6 centimeters in men. A fracture of the talus bone is a significant injury that can affect the function of your ankle and usually requires surgery.
Talus Bone Anatomy
The talus is a very compact and hard bone making up a part of theankle jointwhere the tibia (shin bone) andfibulameet thefoot. It is found at the top of the foot and is one of seventarsal bones.
The talus is 5-6 centimeters long and is covered with cartilage to help cushion the movements the talus makes as part of both the ankle and the foot.
The talus is connected to the tibia at the top (superior), the calcaneus to both the back (posterior) and below (inferior), the navicular to the front (anterior), and the cuboid below (inferior). Blood is supplied to the talus through the posterior tibial, anterior tibial, and peroneal arteries. The posterior tibial artery is the main blood supply for the talus.
The parts of the talus include the following:
There are protuberances on the back and side called the posterior process and the lateral process. There is a depression under the talus called thesulcus tali.
The word “talus” comes from the Latin word for dice, as Roman soldiers used this bone from horses to make dice for games of chance.
The talus is pivotal to the function of the ankle. When viewed together within the ankle and in relation to the other tarsal bones, it has the look of a universal joint on a car’s driveshaft. The talus works the same way, allowing the connecting bones of the ankle to slide around it in multiple directions while supporting weight.
The talus is the main bone that connects the ankle with the lower leg. The talus serves as the connection point for several bones and takes on a lot of force when twisting or sudden weight is applied to the foot and ankle.
Talus Bone Fracture
The most common injury of the talus is through a twisting motion.This can lead to very small, painful fractures of the talus, as well as damage to the connective tissue and cartilage surrounding it. Talus bone pain from a fracture is typically felt in the ankle.
Talus bone fractures were once uncommon, but newer mechanisms of injury have increased their incidence.Snowboarders, for example, have seen an increase in fractures of the lateral process of the talus.
Because a fracture of the talus bone on an x-ray can be subtle in appearance, these types of injuries are sometimes overlooked.
Severe ankle fractures or twisting can result in afracture of the talus. Outside of twisting motion, it usually takes quite a bit of force to fracture the talus, which may occur due to falls from great heights or from head-on car accidents. Older people have a higher potential for talus fractures.
Until the 20th century, talus fractures were rarely documented. In 1919, doctors noticed an increase of talus fractures that came from airplane crashes.The same types of injuries occur today in high-speed car accidents and falls from very high places.
Talus fractures areclassifiedfrom type 1 to type 4:
How can you tell if your talus is fractured?Regardless of the type of talus fracture, symptoms run in a similar vein and include:PainSwelling and deformity of the ankleInability to bear weightDecreased range of motionTenderness
How can you tell if your talus is fractured?
Regardless of the type of talus fracture, symptoms run in a similar vein and include:PainSwelling and deformity of the ankleInability to bear weightDecreased range of motionTenderness
Regardless of the type of talus fracture, symptoms run in a similar vein and include:
Treatment of talus fractures depends on the severity and will include a combination of:
Long-term complications of talus fractures can include arthritis and multiple surgeries.
Congenital Vertical Talus
Congenital vertical talusis a rare genetic deformity of the talus that happens in utero and is diagnosed at birth.Vertical talus is painless at birth, but if left untreated can become extremely painful for the patient.
Usually, vertical talus is corrected with surgery at around 9 months to 1 year of age. Prior to that age, some doctors might recommend trying nonsurgical treatments, such as special shoes or braces.
If vertical talus is not corrected during childhood, repairing it in adults is extremely difficult and will require multiple surgeries.
Injuries to the talus require high-energy trauma and may take weeks to months to fully recover. Stable fractures, listed above as type 1 talus fractures, are those in which the bone is still in the proper anatomical position. Those are the only types of talus fractures that can reasonably be treated without surgery.
More severe talus fractures that are considered unstable, meaning the bones have shifted out of place, will require surgery to put the bones back where they belong and secure them. The bones will often be held in place with screws.
You should not walk on a broken talus during the beginning of the recovery period, up to the first eight to 12 weeks. Weight reduction includes wearing a cast and using crutches or a knee scooter.
Talus bone fracture recovery timeIf you’ve fractured your talus bone, you will probably need to wear a cast for six to eight weeks. It may be as long as two to three months before you’ll be able to put your full weight on your foot.
Talus bone fracture recovery time
If you’ve fractured your talus bone, you will probably need to wear a cast for six to eight weeks. It may be as long as two to three months before you’ll be able to put your full weight on your foot.
Despite the need tokeep weight offof a healing talus, your healthcare provider may encourage you to begin moving your ankle as soon as possible.If you had surgery, your surgeon will probably suggest movement as soon as the wound heals. If you did not have surgery, you may be advised to move your ankle as soon as the cast is removed.
Once it is possible to begin bearing weight on your ankle again, the doctor is likely to suggest a gradual introduction to weight-bearing. Usually, this will include wearing an orthopedic boot to distribute weight across multiple areas in the foot and direct weight to higher on the leg.
Summary
The talus bone is a bone in your ankle that helps support the bones in your lower leg. Talus bone injuries are painful and can cause difficulty walking.
A talus bone fracture can occur during an incident such as a sports or car accident. If you fracture your talus bone, you will have to wear a cast to give the bone time to heal. Some talus bone fractures require surgery.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Caracchini G, Pietragalla M, De Renzis A, et al.Talar fractures: Radiological and CT evaluation and classification systems.Acta Biomed. 2018;89(1-S):151-165. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i1-S.7019Wijers O, Engelmann EWM, Posthuma JJ, Halm JA, Schepers T.Functional outcome and quality of life after nonoperative treatment of posterior process fractures of the talus.Foot Ankle Int. 2019;40(12):1403-1407. doi:10.1177/1071100719868712Alton T, Patton DJ, Gee AO.Classifications in Brief: The Hawkins Classification for talus fractures.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015;473(9):3046-9. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4136-xAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Talus fractures.Miller M, Dobbs MB.Congenital vertical talus: Etiology and management.J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2015;23(10):604-11. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-14-00034Additional ReadingAlton T, Patton DJ, Gee AO.Classifications in brief: The Hawkins classification for talus fractures.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015;473(9):3046–3049. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4136-xAlvarado DM, McCall K, Hecht JT, Dobbs MB, Gurnett CA.Deletions of 5' HOXC genes are associated with lower extremity malformations, including clubfoot and vertical talus.J Med Genet. 2016;53(4):250–255. doi:10.1136/jmedgenet-2015-103505Lui TH.Correction of neglected vertical talus deformity in an adult.BMJ Case Rep. 2015;2015:bcr2014208187. doi:10.1136/bcr-2014-208187Wong DW, Niu W, Wang Y, Zhang M. FiniteElement analysis of foot and ankle impact injury: Risk evaluation of calcaneus and talus fracture.PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154435. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154435
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Caracchini G, Pietragalla M, De Renzis A, et al.Talar fractures: Radiological and CT evaluation and classification systems.Acta Biomed. 2018;89(1-S):151-165. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i1-S.7019Wijers O, Engelmann EWM, Posthuma JJ, Halm JA, Schepers T.Functional outcome and quality of life after nonoperative treatment of posterior process fractures of the talus.Foot Ankle Int. 2019;40(12):1403-1407. doi:10.1177/1071100719868712Alton T, Patton DJ, Gee AO.Classifications in Brief: The Hawkins Classification for talus fractures.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015;473(9):3046-9. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4136-xAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Talus fractures.Miller M, Dobbs MB.Congenital vertical talus: Etiology and management.J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2015;23(10):604-11. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-14-00034Additional ReadingAlton T, Patton DJ, Gee AO.Classifications in brief: The Hawkins classification for talus fractures.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015;473(9):3046–3049. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4136-xAlvarado DM, McCall K, Hecht JT, Dobbs MB, Gurnett CA.Deletions of 5' HOXC genes are associated with lower extremity malformations, including clubfoot and vertical talus.J Med Genet. 2016;53(4):250–255. doi:10.1136/jmedgenet-2015-103505Lui TH.Correction of neglected vertical talus deformity in an adult.BMJ Case Rep. 2015;2015:bcr2014208187. doi:10.1136/bcr-2014-208187Wong DW, Niu W, Wang Y, Zhang M. FiniteElement analysis of foot and ankle impact injury: Risk evaluation of calcaneus and talus fracture.PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154435. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154435
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Caracchini G, Pietragalla M, De Renzis A, et al.Talar fractures: Radiological and CT evaluation and classification systems.Acta Biomed. 2018;89(1-S):151-165. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i1-S.7019Wijers O, Engelmann EWM, Posthuma JJ, Halm JA, Schepers T.Functional outcome and quality of life after nonoperative treatment of posterior process fractures of the talus.Foot Ankle Int. 2019;40(12):1403-1407. doi:10.1177/1071100719868712Alton T, Patton DJ, Gee AO.Classifications in Brief: The Hawkins Classification for talus fractures.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015;473(9):3046-9. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4136-xAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Talus fractures.Miller M, Dobbs MB.Congenital vertical talus: Etiology and management.J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2015;23(10):604-11. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-14-00034
Caracchini G, Pietragalla M, De Renzis A, et al.Talar fractures: Radiological and CT evaluation and classification systems.Acta Biomed. 2018;89(1-S):151-165. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i1-S.7019
Wijers O, Engelmann EWM, Posthuma JJ, Halm JA, Schepers T.Functional outcome and quality of life after nonoperative treatment of posterior process fractures of the talus.Foot Ankle Int. 2019;40(12):1403-1407. doi:10.1177/1071100719868712
Alton T, Patton DJ, Gee AO.Classifications in Brief: The Hawkins Classification for talus fractures.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015;473(9):3046-9. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4136-x
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Talus fractures.
Miller M, Dobbs MB.Congenital vertical talus: Etiology and management.J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2015;23(10):604-11. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-14-00034
Alton T, Patton DJ, Gee AO.Classifications in brief: The Hawkins classification for talus fractures.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015;473(9):3046–3049. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4136-xAlvarado DM, McCall K, Hecht JT, Dobbs MB, Gurnett CA.Deletions of 5' HOXC genes are associated with lower extremity malformations, including clubfoot and vertical talus.J Med Genet. 2016;53(4):250–255. doi:10.1136/jmedgenet-2015-103505Lui TH.Correction of neglected vertical talus deformity in an adult.BMJ Case Rep. 2015;2015:bcr2014208187. doi:10.1136/bcr-2014-208187Wong DW, Niu W, Wang Y, Zhang M. FiniteElement analysis of foot and ankle impact injury: Risk evaluation of calcaneus and talus fracture.PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154435. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154435
Alton T, Patton DJ, Gee AO.Classifications in brief: The Hawkins classification for talus fractures.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015;473(9):3046–3049. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4136-x
Alvarado DM, McCall K, Hecht JT, Dobbs MB, Gurnett CA.Deletions of 5' HOXC genes are associated with lower extremity malformations, including clubfoot and vertical talus.J Med Genet. 2016;53(4):250–255. doi:10.1136/jmedgenet-2015-103505
Lui TH.Correction of neglected vertical talus deformity in an adult.BMJ Case Rep. 2015;2015:bcr2014208187. doi:10.1136/bcr-2014-208187
Wong DW, Niu W, Wang Y, Zhang M. FiniteElement analysis of foot and ankle impact injury: Risk evaluation of calcaneus and talus fracture.PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154435. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154435
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