Ligament · Foot

Dorsal intercuneiform ligaments

Ligamenta intercuneiformia dorsalia

Two short transverse bands on the top of the instep: one between the medial and intermediate cuneiforms, one between the intermediate and lateral. They run straight across the grain of the foot, roping the three wedge-shaped bones into a single arched row. That row is the transverse arch of the midfoot, and it holds its curve only while the wedges are tied side to side — an arch is its keystones plus the ties that stop them splaying. Small as they are, these bands are part of the reason the sole is hollow rather than flat.