Clinical examination of the foot and ankle

In humans, the foot and ankle serve as the primary interface between the ground and the body during ambulation. This requires that the foot and ankle complex be able to absorb impact loading forces, adapt to uneven ground, and allow efficient propulsion. To accomplish this task, the foot and ankle are usually composed of 26 primary bones, not including the tibia, fibula, accessory bones, and sesamoid bones. A good clinical examination can supplement the history and assist the examiner in making the diagnosis of any problem. Because reproduction of a patient ' s symptoms is the key to making a correct diagnosis, this article correlates clinical anatomy and testing with common complaints of the foot and ankle (Figs. 1-4).