The relationship of tibialis posterior tendons to the navicular and accessory navicular bones.

ABSTRACT

The accessory navicular bone is a common and frequently unrecognized anomaly, but occasionally the source of pain over the instep of a flat footed person. Since the tibialis posterior tendons are attached to it and navicular bone, thus, the tendons of tibialis posterior were observed. A total of 388 feet (207 males and 181 females) were involved in this study. In each case, all tendons were symmetrical. There were 293 feet (75.5%) with two types of tendon attached to the navicualr bone; naked tendons were found in 188 feet (48.4%) and sesamoid cartilage or bones within the tendon wee found in 105 feet (27.1%). These two tendon types passed under the medical border of each foot. The tendons that were attached to accessory navicular bones were found in 95 feet (24.5%); as a separated bone, in 64 feet (16.5%) and as a prolongation inward (cornuate navicular), in 31 feet (8%). Among these tendons, the abnormal courses of tendons were found inward and upward displacement in parallel with the medial border of the feet. No significant difference was found according to the sex of these subjects (p = 0.254).