Anatomical Study of Sites and Surface Area of the Attachment Region of Tibial Posterior Tendon Attachment.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was not only to examine the attachment site but also to quantify the effect of the tibialis posterior tendon (TPT) on each attachment site by examining the surface area of the attachment region.

METHODS: We examined 100 feet from 50 Japanese cadavers. The TPT attachment to the navicular bone (NB), medial cuneiform bone (MCB), and lateral cuneiform bone (LCB) were set as the main attachment sites (Type I). The attachment seen in Type I with the addition of one additional site of attachment was defined as Type II. Furthermore, surface area was measured using a three-dimensional scanner.

RESULTS: Attachment to the NB, MCB, and LCB was present in all specimens. The TPT attachment to the NB, MCB, and LCB comprised 75.1% of total attachment surface area. The ratio of the NB, MCB, and LCB in each type was about 90% in Types II and III, and 70-80% in Types IV-VII.

CONCLUSION: The quantitative results demonstrated the NB, MCB, and LCB to be the main sites of TPT attachment, although individual differences in attachment sites exist, further developing the findings of previous studies.