title: Clinical anatomy of the calcaneal tuberosity.
abstract: The aim of the study was a qualitative anatomical analysis of the macroscopic features of the surface of the calcaneal tuberosity, of the architecture of its cancellous bone and histological structure of the whole region. Dry human bones and pathological dissection material 24-36 h post mortem were used in the study. On the tuberosity, the variability of its surface relief and the two borders between the superior, middle and inferior facets were studied. More frequent medial declination of the inferior line, corresponding to the distal circumference of the Achilles tendon attachment, was found. Two systems of expressive condensation of cancellous bone just below the surface of the calcaneal tuberosity were described. In the histological part of the study, the distribution and different thickness of the fibrous cartilage layer covering the attachment region of Achilles tendon, the bottom of retro-calcaneal bursa and the whole surface of the calcaneal tuberosity were described. The functional and clinical relevance of results obtained are evaluated from the point of view of disciplines dealing with the pathology and surgery of the heel region. The relationships of official anatomical terms and a wide spectrum of clinical synonyms designating this region are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Ruska 87, 100 00 Prague 10, Czech Republic. david.kachlik@lf3.cuni.cz
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kachlik
authors.forename: Vaclav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baca
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cepelik
authors.forename: Premysl
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hajek
authors.forename: Vaclav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mandys
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Musil
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology; D002102:Cadaver; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values