What is the Difference Between Tarsal and Metatarsal

The key difference between tarsal and metatarsal is that tarsal is a short bone present in the foot, while metatarsal is a long bone present in the foot.

Normally, each foot comprises 26 bones, 30 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. They all collectively work together to provide support, balance, and mobility. The foot has bones such as tarsals, metatarsals, phalanges, and sesamoids, and joints such as metatarsophalangeal joint (MCP), proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP), distal phalangeal joint (DP) and interphalangeal joint. There are seven short tarsal bones and five long metatarsal bones in a foot.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Tarsal  
3. What is Metatarsal
4. Similarities – Tarsal and Metatarsal
5. Tarsal vs. Metatarsal in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Tarsal and Metatarsal
7. Summary – Tarsal vs. Metatarsal

What is Tarsal?

Tarsal bones are short bones that consist of seven bones: calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuboid, and cuneiform (medial, intermediate and lateral) bones. Tarsal bones are found in the posterior aspect of the foot. A tarsal bone’s length, width, and thickness are about equal.

The tarsal bones of the foot act as important attachment points for the muscles of the leg and foot. Moreover, they provide limited motion and aid in maintaining the arches of the foot.  Tarsal bone injury (calcaneus fracture) is a common condition affecting the tarsals.

What is a Metatarsal?

Metatarsals are tubular-shaped bones. They are a part of the bones of the mid-foot. They are named first metatarsal, second metatarsal, third metatarsal, fourth metatarsal, and fifth metatarsal, and start from the medial side outward.

Metatarsals are found between the phalanges of the toes and the tarsal bones. Moreover, metatarsals are connected to the toe bones at the metatarsophalangeal joint. Generally, metatarsals work with connective tissues, ligaments, and tendons to properly move the foot. Metatarsals also help in force absorption and support and act as a rigid lever during gait propulsion. Fractures and sprains are common conditions that affect metatarsals.

What are the Similarities Between Tarsal and Metatarsal?

• The tarsal and metatarsal are two different types of bones found in the foot.
• Both are connected to each other.
• They are important in maintaining the arches of the foot.
• Both play pivotal roles in maintaining proper movement.
• They can be affected by different conditions.

What is the Difference Between Tarsal and Metatarsal?

Tarsal is a short bone present in the foot while metatarsal is a long bone present in the foot. Thus, this is the key difference between tarsal and metatarsal. Furthermore, the tarsal bone is irregular in shape, while the metatarsal bone is tubular in shape.           

The infographic below presents the differences between tarsal and metatarsal in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

FAQ: Tarsal and Metatarsal

Is the metatarsal a long bone?

The metatarsals are long bones found in each foot.

Which metatarsal is the longest?

The second metatarsals are the longest.

What is the common name for tarsal?

Calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuboid, lateral cuneiform, intermediate cuneiform, and medial cuneiform are common names for tarsals.

Summary – Tarsal vs. Metatarsal

The tarsal and metatarsal are two different types of bones found in the foot. The tarsal is a bone present in the posterior aspect of the foot, while the metatarsal is a bone that is present between the phalanges of the toes and the tarsal bones. Moreover, the tarsal is short, and its length, width, and thickness are about equal. On the other hand, the metatarsal is long, and its length is greater than its width. So, this summarizes the difference between tarsal and metatarsal.

Reference:

1. Joseph, Mickaël A, and Jansirani Natarajan. “The Carpal and Tarsal Bones of the Human Body: Arabic Mnemonics.” Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
2. “Metatarsal | Anatomy, Structure, Function.” Encyclopedia Britannica.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Tarsal bones13 postolateral view” By BodyParts3D is made by DBCLS. – Polygon data is from BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 2.1 jp) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “First metatarsal bone01 superior view” By BodyParts3D is made by DBCLS. – Polygon data is from BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 2.1 jp) via Commons Wikimedia