Joints
Calcaneocuboid joint (art. calcaneocuboidea)
The lateral half of Chopart's joint, between calcaneus and cuboid. With the talonavicular part it forms the transverse tarsal joint line: the hinge on which the forefoot tilts relative to the hindfoot, and the classic amputation line.
- Joint type
- Saddle joint, two degrees of freedom with small excursion
- Latin name
- Articulatio calcaneocuboidea
Movements, axes and normal values
| Movement | Plane | Axis | Normal range | End feel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forefoot supination | combined | oblique axis through the length of the foot | a few degrees, measurable only together with the talonavicular part | firm springy (ligament) |
| Forefoot pronation | combined | oblique axis through the length of the foot | a few degrees; hindfoot position determines how much remains | firm springy (ligament) |
- Close-packed position
- Full supination
- Resting (loose-packed) position
- Neutral foot position
- Capsular pattern
- Supination more limited than pronation, with end-range pain along the outer border of the foot; the excursion is small, so a restriction only shows on comparison with the other side.
- Arthrokinematics
- With a pronated hindfoot the two joint lines of Chopart lie parallel, so the forefoot moves freely and the foot is supple; with a supinated hindfoot they cross and the midfoot locks into a rigid lever. That is the mechanism behind roll-off: supple on landing, rigid on push-off.
- Stability
- The bifurcate ligament (calcaneocuboid part), the long plantar ligament and the plantar calcaneocuboid ligament, together the main passive support of the lateral arch.
- Palpation
- Find the tuberosity of the fifth metatarsal and move one to two centimetres proximally: the joint line lies as a transverse groove on the lateral border of the foot.
- Clinical
- Persistent lateral foot pain after an inversion injury often sits here rather than in the lateral ankle ligaments: cuboid subluxation or a sprain of the bifurcate ligament. A midtarsal fracture-dislocation displaces along Chopart's line, easily missed on a plain film.
- Source
- Speciële anatomie van het houdings- en bewegingsapparaat (HU, 2013); BOKS anatomie WSH (HU, 2025)