The heel bone
Calcaneus · calcaneus
The largest bone in your foot, forming your heel and taking the first impact of every step.
What it does
The heel bone is the big block at the back of your foot. It takes the shock when your heel strikes the ground and provides a long lever for the calf muscles, whose Achilles tendon attaches to its back. The bones of the foot's arch spread forward from it.
Surprising fact
The Achilles tendon pulls on the heel bone with forces of several times your body weight when you run.
Why it matters
Heel pain first thing in the morning is often plantar fasciitis, an irritation of the tough band that runs from the heel bone to the toes. Stretching the calf and the sole usually helps.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.