Morphometric Study of the Navicular Bone in a Nigerian Population: A Direct Measurement Study

Abstract

Background: The human foot, containing approximately 26 bones, is highly developed for movement, balance, and weightbearing. It is modified into medial longitudinal, lateral longitudinal, and transverse arches which, in addition to the above functions, play a role in protecting the plantar tissues and neurovascular structures. Morphometry of the navicular bone, one of the bones of the foot that plays an important role in the medial longitudinal arch, was investigated in this study. Methods: One hundred fifty adult dry navicular bones were used. Navicular breadth, height, maximum thickness, maximum talar facet height and breadth, maximum cuneiform facet height and breadth, and maximum navicular tuberosity projection height were measured using digital Vernier callipers. The anatomical features were used to determine the side. Bones with features that suggested previous fractures or any previous disease were excluded from this study. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the Department of Anatomy, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. Results: The navicular bone showed great variations in its left and right sides, with the values of the dimensions on the left being higher than the right. Conclusions: An understanding of these variations will be helpful to medical scientists, osteologists, and orthopedic surgeons during surgical interventions on navicular bone fracture and accessory navicular syndrome.