| The other six tarsals, tightly bound together by ligaments below the talus, function as a strong weight-bearing platform. |
| The tarsals correspond to the carpal bones of the upper limb. |
| If the foot is supple and the ligaments are lax the tarsals may be displaced to an extreme degree before the ligaments are strained. |
| The carpals, tarsals, metacarpals, and metatarsals are all free. |
| The distal row of tarsals consists of three very small pieces of calcified cartilage. |
| The tarsals and metatarsals form the arches of the foot, which give it strength and enable it to act as a lever. |
