Morphometric Study of Modifications over the Neck of Talus in Visakhapatnam Region of Andhra Pradesh State

BACKGROUND Talus is a very important bone among the skeleton of foot. Talus is a very common bone which undergoes some structural modifications due to prolonged habitual squatting postures. Structural alterations like squatting facets, trochlear extensions are observed over the dorsal aspect of the neck of the talus common type of squatting facets observed are medial squatting facets, lateral squatting facets, combined type of squatting facets .These are observed in specific group of people. METHODS Present study was conducted in 100 talus bones, which are procured from department of Anatomy, Andhra medical college, Visakhapatnam. Structural modifications like squatting facets, trochlear extensions are studied in all the bones. RESULTS Squatting facets are observed in most of the talus .but trochlear extensions are not observed in any of the talus .out of 100 talus, 54 tali are having lateral squatting facet, 4tali are having a medial squatting facet, 16 tali showing combined type of squatting facet, 26 tali are not having any type of squatting facets. Out of 54 right sided taluses, 24 tali are having a lateral squatting facet, 3 tali are having medial squatting facet, 10 tali are having combined type of squatting facet, 17tali are not having any type of squatting facet. Out of 46 left sided taluses, 30tali are having lateral squatting facet, 1 talus is having a medial squatting facet, 6 tali are having combined type of squatting facets, 9tali are not having any type of squatting facet. CONCLUSIONS Incidence of modifications over the neck of talus is very common in people who are having a rural background, those people are having a habitual squatting position. And these alterations may be due to genetic inheritance and several unexplainable reasons. KEYWORDS Talus, Squatting Facet, Habitual Squatting Posture, Lateral Squatting Facet, Medial Squatting Facet