The tarsal bones of the foot are important for stability and movement.

These bones can become injured in some types of trauma, causingfoot pain.

Overview

Your tarsal bones are located in therearfoot(also called hindfoot) andmidfootareas of your foot.

Human foot bones on white surface

SCIEPRO / Getty Images

These bones are also known collectively as the tarsus.

The tarsus meets the ankle joint above, which connects to thetibiaandfibulabones of the leg.

Pronation, supination, and overpronation can affect the way you walk in many ways.

Tarsal Fractures

A tarsal fracture is a fracture of any of the tarsal bones of the foot.

They are rare and can occur from impact injuries or due to force from repetitive actions.

Stress fracturesor hairline fractures most often affect the calcaneus or navicular bones.

A stress fracture usually causes a gradual onset of pain and difficulty weight-bearing (standing on your feet).

You might be prescribed a special boot if you have a stress fracture.

You will need to use crutches to keep weight off of your foot while it is healing.

Sometimes surgery is needed.

New treatments such as shock wave therapy and bone marrow aspirate concentrate are also being used as alternatives.

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