Bottom of the foot (plantar view)
Planta pedis
The bottom of the foot is called the plantar surface, or sole. Three bony areas carry weight there: the heel, the outer border, and the ball of the foot.
Loading 3D model…
Free 3D model of the bottom of the foot. Right foot. Drag to rotate, zoom with + and − (or Ctrl + scroll), click a bone to highlight and name it.
- Heel: calcaneus
- Ball of the foot: metatarsal heads
- Sesamoid bones
Key points
- The bottom of the foot is the sole, or plantar surface.
- Weight rests on the heel, the outer border and the ball of the foot.
- The ball of the foot is the row of metatarsal heads.
- The arches keep the middle of the sole off the ground.
What is the bottom of the foot called?
The underside of the foot is the sole. In anatomy it is the plantar surface. The model on this page shows the bones as you would see them looking up from the ground.
Which bones touch the ground?
Standing weight is shared between the heel and the ball of the foot. At the back, it rests on the calcaneal tuberosity. At the front, it rests on the heads of the five metatarsals, with the two sesamoids under the first.
The outer border of the foot also carries some load along the fifth metatarsal.
Parts of the bottom of the foot
From back to front the sole has the heel, the arch, the ball and the toe pads. The heel is the calcaneus. The arch spans the tarsal bones and the metatarsal shafts. The ball is the metatarsal heads.
The arches seen from below
Between heel and ball the bones rise off the ground. The inner arch is the highest, which is why a wet footprint is narrow in the middle. The outer arch is low and usually touches the ground.
What covers the bones of the sole?
The model shows bone only. In a living foot the bones are covered by four layers of small muscles, a tough sheet called the plantar fascia that runs from the heel to the toes, and thick fat pads under the heel and the ball.
Common problems on the bottom of the foot
Heel pain often comes from the plantar fascia where it starts on the calcaneus. Pain in the ball of the foot can come from the metatarsal heads or the sesamoids. This page describes anatomy only.
Common questions
What is the bottom of the foot called?
The sole, or plantar surface.
What bones are in the ball of the foot?
The heads of the five metatarsals and the two sesamoids.
What bone is the heel?
The calcaneus.
What does plantar mean?
Relating to the sole of the foot.
Is this 3D model of the bottom of the foot free?
Yes. The interactive 3D model on this page is free to view and use for study, with no account or download needed. Its geometry comes from the open BodyParts3D data set (CC BY-SA).
About this free 3D model of the bottom of the foot
The interactive 3D model on this page is free to use in your browser, with no sign-up. It is built from scan-based anatomy data, so every bone is a separate, correctly placed shape you can turn and inspect from any side.