Anatomy
Tarsal bone. Articulates up with talus, down/distally with cuneiforms, sometimes out (laterally) with cuboid.
Clinical
Fracture not evident on plain x-ray, so diagnosis often delayed. Avulsion fracture commonest. Stress fracture best treated early, can result in longterm disabling pain untreated; should be outruled in any young athlete with midfoot pain.
Vignette
Navicula (Latin); little boat. Not to be confused with scaphoid, a carpal bone which is also boat-like (skaphos – Greek; boat) and sometimes called navicular bone of hand.
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