Calcaneus (heel bone)
Calcaneus
The calcaneus is the heel bone. It is the largest bone in the foot, lies beneath the talus, and is the first bone to meet the ground when you walk.
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Free 3D model of the calcaneus. Right foot. Drag to rotate, zoom with + and − (or Ctrl + scroll), click a bone to highlight and name it.
Key points
- The calcaneus is the heel bone and the largest bone in the foot.
- It sits under the talus and meets the cuboid in front.
- The Achilles tendon attaches to the back of it.
- It is the first bone to take load when the foot lands.
What is the calcaneus?
The calcaneus is the heel bone. It is the largest of the seven tarsal bones and the largest bone in the foot. It forms the back of the foot and the rear pillar of the arch.
Where is the calcaneus?
It lies at the back and bottom of the foot, beneath the talus. It is easy to find: the firm bone you feel when you squeeze the back of your heel is the calcaneus.
Parts of the calcaneus
The rear third is the calcaneal tuberosity, the rounded mass you stand on. Its underside has a larger inner bump and a smaller outer one, the medial and lateral processes.
On the inner side, a shelf called the sustentaculum tali juts out to support the head of the talus. At the front, the anterior process reaches forward to meet the cuboid. The top carries three smooth facets for the talus.
What does the calcaneus articulate with?
It meets two bones. Above, it carries the talus at the subtalar joint. In front, it meets the cuboid at the calcaneocuboid joint, which is the outer half of the transverse tarsal joint.
What attaches to the calcaneus?
The Achilles tendon, the thickest tendon in the body, attaches to the back of the tuberosity. Through it the calf muscles pull the heel up.
The plantar fascia and several small muscles of the sole start from the inner bump on the underside. Strong ligaments run forward from it to the cuboid and navicular to hold up the arch.
What does the calcaneus do?
It is the first bone to meet the ground in normal walking, so it takes the impact of each step. It then acts as a lever: the further it projects behind the ankle, the more force the calf muscles can deliver.
Common problems with the calcaneus
The calcaneus is the tarsal bone most often fractured, typically in a fall from a height onto the heels. In growing children, irritation of the growth plate at the back of the heel is a common cause of heel pain.
Heel spurs are bony outgrowths on the underside, near where the plantar fascia starts. This page describes anatomy only.
Common questions
Is the calcaneus the heel bone?
Yes. Calcaneus is the anatomical name for the heel bone.
What type of bone is the calcaneus?
A short bone, and the largest of the tarsals.
What is the calcaneal tuberosity?
The large rear part of the bone that forms the heel. The Achilles tendon attaches to it.
How do you pronounce calcaneus?
kal-KAY-nee-us.
Is this 3D model of the calcaneus 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 calcaneus
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.