---
title: "Metatarsals | Biological Anthropology"
description: "Metatarsals are the five long bones in the foot that support arches, transfer weight, and help biological anthropologists read locomotion and foot anatomy."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/biological-anthropology/key-terms/metatarsals"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Biological Anthropology"
unit: "Unit 8"
---

# Metatarsals | Biological Anthropology

## Definition

Metatarsals are the five long bones of the foot that sit between the tarsals and phalanges. In Biological Anthropology, they help show how the foot supports weight, balance, and bipedal walking.

## What It Is

Metatarsals are the long bones in the midfoot that connect the tarsals in the ankle and heel area to the phalanges of the toes. In Biological Anthropology, they matter because the foot is one of the clearest places to see how humans are built for bipedal locomotion.

There are five metatarsals in each foot, numbered I through V from the big toe side to the little toe side. Each one has a base, shaft, and head. The head forms the joint with the toe bones, while the base connects back toward the tarsals. That structure lets the foot stay rigid enough to support body weight, but still flexible enough to move during walking, running, and jumping.

The first metatarsal, on the big toe side, is especially important in human walking because it helps absorb force and push the body forward during toe-off. The metatarsals also help shape the arches of the foot. Those arches act like a spring, spreading out impact when your foot hits the ground and helping you balance on uneven surfaces.

Biological anthropologists pay attention to metatarsals when they study human skeletons, fossil hominins, or locomotion in modern primates. A metatarsal that is long, robust, or built for heavy loading can suggest repeated walking, climbing, or running demands. Differences in foot bones can also help distinguish humans from other primates, since human feet are more specialized for upright walking than grasping.

You will also see the term in injury discussions. Metatarsal fractures are common when the foot takes a hard impact or repeated stress, and that matters in a skeletal analysis because breaks, healing, and bone shape can reveal how a person moved or what kind of strain their feet experienced.

## Why It Matters

Metatarsals matter because they sit right at the intersection of anatomy and locomotion, which is a big theme in Biological Anthropology. If you want to explain why humans walk the way we do, the foot bones give you direct evidence of load-bearing, balance, and push-off.

They also help you compare humans with other primates. A human metatarsal is part of a foot built for walking on two legs, not for grasping branches the way many primate feet are. That comparison shows how skeletal form reflects behavior, which is one of the main ideas in the course.

In skeletal analysis, metatarsals can also support broader inferences about activity and trauma. Healed fractures, unusual wear, or differences in robusticity can point to repetitive stress, mobility patterns, or injury. So the term is useful not just for naming a bone, but for reading what that bone can tell you about movement and adaptation.

## Connections

### Phalanges

The metatarsals connect to the phalanges at the toes, so the two sets of bones work together during walking and balance. Metatarsals provide the long support in the foot, while phalanges finish the chain and help with toe flexion and push-off. When you look at foot anatomy, the joint between these bones shows how force moves from the ground through the body.

### [Tarsals](/biological-anthropology/key-terms/tarsals)

Tarsals sit behind the metatarsals and form the rear and midfoot skeleton. The metatarsals receive force from the tarsals and pass it forward into the toes, so this connection is central to weight transfer. In human evolution, changes in the tarsal-metatarsal region help show how the foot became better at stable, upright walking.

### Arch

The metatarsals help shape the arches of the foot, especially the transverse and longitudinal support needed for bipedal movement. Arches act like a spring and a shock absorber, which reduces impact when your foot hits the ground. If the arch changes, the loading pattern on the metatarsals changes too, which can affect movement and injury.

### [age estimation](/biological-anthropology/key-terms/age-estimation)

Metatarsals can contribute to age estimation when a skeleton is being examined, especially if they show growth, fusion, or adult bone development patterns. They are not the only bones used, but they add evidence when other skeletal markers are also available. In anthropology labs, you may compare metatarsal maturity with other bones to narrow down age at death.

## On the AP Exam

A bone-identification question may show you a foot skeleton and ask you to label the metatarsals or explain what they do. The move is to place them between the tarsals and phalanges, then connect their structure to bipedal walking, balance, and toe-off.

In a lab practical or short answer response, you might describe why the first metatarsal is especially important for human locomotion or how the arches of the foot spread out force. If a case includes a fractured foot bone, you should be able to say whether the bone is a metatarsal and what that injury might suggest about stress or trauma.

For comparison questions, use metatarsals to show the human foot as a weight-bearing structure rather than a grasping one. That link between form and function is usually what the instructor wants you to recognize.

## metatarsals vs tarsals

Tarsals and metatarsals are both foot bones, but they are not the same region. Tarsals are the ankle and rear foot bones, while metatarsals are the long bones in the midfoot that lead to the toes. If you remember that metatarsals come after the tarsals and before the phalanges, the distinction gets much easier.

## Key Takeaways

- Metatarsals are the five long bones in each foot that sit between the tarsals and the phalanges.
- In Biological Anthropology, they matter because they show how the human foot is shaped for bipedal walking and weight transfer.
- The first metatarsal on the big toe side is especially important for push-off, balance, and load-bearing.
- Metatarsals help form the foot arches, which absorb shock and make upright movement more efficient.
- Anthropologists can use metatarsals to compare locomotion, identify trauma, and read clues about activity patterns in skeletal remains.

## FAQs

### What is metatarsals in Biological Anthropology?

Metatarsals are the five long bones in the foot that connect the tarsals to the toe bones. In Biological Anthropology, they are studied because they show how the human foot supports body weight and manages bipedal movement. They are also useful for comparing human feet with the feet of other primates.

### Are metatarsals the same as tarsals?

No. Tarsals are the bones closer to the ankle and heel, while metatarsals are the long bones in the middle of the foot. A simple way to remember it is that tarsals come first, then metatarsals, then phalanges.

### Why are metatarsals important for walking?

They help transfer force from the body to the ground and from the ground back through the foot during walking. The metatarsals also work with the arches of the foot to absorb shock and make toe-off more efficient. That makes them central to upright locomotion.

### How are metatarsals used in skeletal analysis?

Anthropologists may examine metatarsals for fractures, robusticity, and shape differences that reflect movement or stress. They can also support broader comparisons of human and primate locomotion. In a lab, you might use them to identify a foot bone or discuss trauma patterns.

## Related Study Guides

- [8.1 Human osteology and skeletal anatomy](/biological-anthropology/unit-8/human-osteology-skeletal-anatomy/study-guide/JkhzuhSZwjJTTxZf)

## About This Document

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