Cuneiform bones

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title: "Cuneiform bones" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["bones-of-the-foot", "tarsal-bones"] description: "Three bones in the human foot" topic_path: "general/bones-of-the-foot" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform_bones" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Three bones in the human foot ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox bone"]

Field	Value
Name	Cuneiform bones; Cuneiform
Latin	os cuneiformis
pl. ossa cuneiformia
Image	Cuneiform bone animation01.gif
Caption	Red=medial; yellow=intermediate; green=lateral
Image2	Left Cuneiform bone animation01.gif
Caption2	Cuneiform bones of the left foot
::

| Name = Cuneiform bones; Cuneiform | Latin = os cuneiformis pl. ossa cuneiformia | Image = Cuneiform bone animation01.gif | Caption = Red=medial; yellow=intermediate; green=lateral | Image2 = Left Cuneiform bone animation01.gif | Caption2 = Cuneiform bones of the left foot | Articulations = There are three cuneiform ("wedge-shaped") bones in the human foot:

• the first or medial cuneiform
• the second or intermediate cuneiform, also known as the middle cuneiform
• the third or lateral cuneiform

They are located between the navicular bone and the first, second and third metatarsal bones and are medial to the cuboid bone.

Structure

There are three cuneiform bones:

1. The medial cuneiform (also known as first cuneiform) is the largest of the cuneiforms. It is situated at the medial side of the foot, anterior to the navicular bone and posterior to the base of the first metatarsal. Lateral to it is the intermediate cuneiform. It articulates with four bones: the navicular, second cuneiform, and first and second metatarsals. The tibialis anterior and fibularis longus muscle inserts at the medial cuneiform bone.
2. The intermediate cuneiform (second cuneiform or middle cuneiform) is shaped like a wedge, the thin end pointing downwards. The intermediate cuneiform is situated between the other two cuneiform bones (the medial and lateral cuneiforms), and articulates with the navicular posteriorly, the second metatarsal anteriorly and with the other cuneiforms on either side.
3. The lateral cuneiform (also known as third cuneiform or external cuneiform) intermediate in size between the other two cuneiform bones, is also wedge-shaped, the base being uppermost. It occupies the center of the front row of the tarsal bones, between the intermediate cuneiform medially, the cuboid laterally, the navicular posteriorly and the third metatarsal in front. The tibialis posterior inserts at the lateral cuneiform, while the flexor hallucis brevis originates from it.

Muscle attachments

Injuries

• Lisfranc fracture – in which one or all of the metatarsals are displaced from the tarsus
• Cuneiform fracture - Due to the ligamentous support of the midfoot, isolated cuneiform fractures are rare

Additional images

Gray268.png|Bones of the right foot. Dorsal surface. Image:Gray269.png|Bones of the right foot. Plantar Surface. Image:Gray290.png|Skeleton of foot. Medial aspect. Image:Gray291.png|Skeleton of foot. Lateral aspect. Image:Gray360.png|Oblique section of left intertarsal and tarsometatarsal articulations, showing the synovial cavities. Image:Ospied-en.svg|Bones of foot File:Slide29DEN.JPG|Cuneiform. Superior view. File:Slide31DEN.JPG|Cuneiform. Superior view.

Other animals

References

References

1. (2001). "Bevægeapparatets anatomi".
2. (2001). "Bevægeapparatets anatomi".
3. [http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Lisfranc%27s+fracture TheFreeDictionary > Lisfranc's fracture] Citing: Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. 2009
4. Mabry LM, Patti TN, Ross MD, Bleakley CM, Gisselman AS. (July 2021). "Isolated Medial Cuneiform Fractures: A Systematic Search and Qualitative Analysis of Case Studies". J Am Podiatr Med Assoc.

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