If the tibia and fibula compared to the lateral border of the foot are less than 90 degrees, what position is the foot in?

When the tibia and fibula are positioned such that the angle they create with the lateral border of the foot is less than 90 degrees, this indicates that the toes are pointing upward relative to the shin. This upward pointing of the foot is known as dorsiflexion. In this position, the angle between the foot and the leg is reduced, demonstrating an active engagement of the muscles that allow the foot to move closer to the shin.

Dorsiflexion occurs as a functional movement, often seen during activities such as walking or running, where lifting the foot clears it from the ground to avoid obstacles. Being familiar with the angles involved in foot positioning is crucial for understanding biomechanics, injury prevention, and effective exercise programming in practices like Stott Pilates.

In contrast, plantarflexion would involve the toes pointing away from the shin, creating an angle greater than 90 degrees, while neutral alignment would indicate the foot is neither in dorsiflexion nor plantarflexion but is positioned at rest. Eversion relates to the foot rolling outward, which is a different movement altogether. Thus, recognizing the specific angle and resulting position is key to identifying dorsiflexion accurately.