Fourth metatarsal
Os metatarsi IV
The fourth metatarsal is the long bone leading to the fourth toe. Its base joins the cuboid on the outer side of the midfoot.
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Free 3D model of the fourth metatarsal. Right foot. Drag to rotate, zoom with + and − (or Ctrl + scroll), click a bone to highlight and name it.
Key points
- The fourth metatarsal leads to the fourth toe.
- Its base joins the cuboid on the outer side of the midfoot.
- It moves more freely than the second and third.
- With the fifth, it forms the mobile outer column of the forefoot.
What is the fourth metatarsal?
The fourth metatarsal is the long bone that leads to the fourth toe. It is the second from the outer edge of the foot.
Where is the fourth metatarsal?
It lies between the third and fifth metatarsals, in line with the fourth toe.
What does the fourth metatarsal articulate with?
Its base meets the cuboid, with a small contact on the lateral cuneiform. The sides of the base touch the third and fifth metatarsals. Its head meets the proximal phalanx of the fourth toe.
What does the fourth metatarsal do?
The fourth and fifth metatarsals share the cuboid and form the mobile outer column. They give more than the central metatarsals, which lets the outer edge of the foot settle onto uneven ground.
Parts of the fourth metatarsal
It has a base, a shaft and a head. The base is four-sided where it meets the cuboid. The shaft is slim, and the head is small and rounded.
Can you feel the fourth metatarsal?
Yes. On top of the foot, the ridge that runs back from the fourth toe is its shaft. It ends at the cuboid, a little in front of the bump at the base of the fifth metatarsal.
What attaches to the fourth metatarsal?
The small muscles between the metatarsals, the interossei, start from its sides and move the third, fourth and little toes.
Ligaments tie its base to the cuboid, the lateral cuneiform and the metatarsals on either side.
Common problems with the fourth metatarsal
Stress fractures occur here but less often than in the second and third. Pain between the heads of the third and fourth metatarsals usually comes from a thickened nerve in that gap. This page describes anatomy only.
Common questions
Where is the fourth metatarsal?
Behind the fourth toe, between the third and fifth metatarsals.
Which tarsal bone does the fourth metatarsal join?
Mainly the cuboid.
Which metatarsals are the most mobile?
The fourth and fifth, along with the first.
Is this 3D model of the fourth metatarsal 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 fourth metatarsal
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.