Third metatarsal
Os metatarsi III
The third metatarsal is the long bone leading to the third toe. It sits in the middle of the forefoot and joins the lateral cuneiform at its base.
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Free 3D model of the third metatarsal. Right foot. Drag to rotate, zoom with + and − (or Ctrl + scroll), click a bone to highlight and name it.
Key points
- The third metatarsal leads to the third toe.
- It sits in the middle of the forefoot.
- Its base joins the lateral cuneiform.
- With the second, it forms the stiff centre of the forefoot.
What is the third metatarsal?
The third metatarsal is the long bone that leads to the third toe. It is the middle one of the five.
Where is the third metatarsal?
It lies in the centre of the forefoot, in line with the third toe, between the second and fourth metatarsals.
What does the third metatarsal articulate with?
Its flat, triangular base meets the lateral cuneiform. The sides of the base touch the second and fourth metatarsals. Its head meets the proximal phalanx of the third toe.
What does the third metatarsal do?
Together with the second it forms the stiff middle column of the forefoot. The first metatarsal on one side and the fourth and fifth on the other move more freely around it.
Parts of the third metatarsal
Like the others it has a base, a shaft and a head. The base is flat and triangular. The shaft is slim and slightly curved, and the head is small and rounded.
Can you feel the third metatarsal?
Yes. On top of the foot, the ridge that runs back from the third toe is its shaft. Under the foot, its head is the middle one of the five firm points in the ball of the foot.
What attaches to the third metatarsal?
The small muscles between the metatarsals, the interossei, start from its sides. They spread and close the toes and steady them during push-off.
Part of the muscle that pulls the big toe toward the other toes also starts from its base, along with the bases of the second and fourth.
Common problems with the third metatarsal
After the second, it is the next most common site of a stress fracture. Pain between the heads of the third and fourth metatarsals is more often from a thickened nerve than from bone. This page describes anatomy only.
Common questions
Where is the third metatarsal?
In the middle of the forefoot, behind the third toe.
Which tarsal bone does the third metatarsal join?
The lateral cuneiform.
Which metatarsals are the least mobile?
The second and third.
Is this 3D model of the third 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 third 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.