Morphological characteristics of the plantar calcaneocuboid ligaments

Chie Sekine,Ikuo Kageyama,Ryo Hrabayashi,Hirotake Yokota,Mutsuaki Edama,Tomoya Takabayashi

doi:10.1186/s13047-020-00443-7

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to clarify the differences in morphological features between the long plantar ligament (LPL) and the short plantar ligament (SPL).MethodsThis investigation examined 50 legs from 25 Japanese cadavers. The LPL and SPL of each leg were classified into one of three types based on the shape and number of fiber bundles. Then, fiber bundle length, fiber bundle width, and fiber bundle thickness were measured.ResultsThe LPL was rectangular in shape (Type I) in 12%, hourglass shape (Type II) in 62%, and triangular in shape (Type III) in 26%. The SPL was a single fiber bundle (Type I-a) in 26%, a surface fiber bundle and a deep fiber bundle (Type I-b) in 60%, and a surface fiber bundle (medial and lateral) and a deep fiber bundle (Type II) in 14%. Regarding the morphological characteristics, there were no significant differences among the types in the LPL, but there were differences between types and between surface and deep fiber bundles in the SPL.ConclusionsFor the LPL, the hourglass shape is the most common type. However, there appeared to be no functional difference due to the difference in the shape of the LPL, since there were no significant differences among the types in the LPL. For the SPL, there were types of single, double and triple fiber bundles; there may be functional differences based on the number of fiber bundles and between superficial and deep fibers.

Highlights

The aim of this study was to clarify the differences in morphological features between the long plantar ligament (LPL) and the short plantar ligament (SPL)
Classification of the long plantar ligament Using the classification based on differences in the shape, there were three types: Type I, Type II, and Type III
There were no significant differences between males and females and between left and right sides (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

The aim of this study was to clarify the differences in morphological features between the long plantar ligament (LPL) and the short plantar ligament (SPL). Isolated injuries involving the calcaneocuboid joint are rare and frequently overlooked These injuries are a cause of symptoms after an inversion injury of the foot, and the resulting clinical manifestations may mimic a lateral ankle ligament injury, which is more common [1,2,3,4]. The four ligaments connecting the calcaneus and cuboid are: the medial calcaneocuboid ligament, a component of the bifurcate ligament; the dorsolateral calcaneocuboid ligament; the plantar calcaneocuboid ligament, or short plantar ligament; and the long plantar ligament [5, 6] These ligaments play a major role in supporting the medial and lateral longitudinal arches [7,8,9]. Morphological characteristics and the functional roles of the plantar calcaneocuboid ligaments have not been fully considered

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