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Lateral malleolus
Other Terms:
Malleolus lateralis,
Malléole latérale
Description
The lay person typically calls this an ankle bone. It is easily palpable as the projection at the distal end of the fibula that forms the lateral wall of the mortise-like ankle joint. It serves as a pulley-like projection around which the peroneus longus and peroneus brevis muscles pass on their course to the foot. Many strong ligaments attach from the malleolus to the ankle bones.
Etymology
Malleolus is the Latin diminutive of malleus that means hammer. This term was first used in the 16th century by Andreas Vesalius to any projection of bone having a hammerhead-like shape. It has been retained as the descriptive terms for the bony protuberances at either side of the ankle.
Latin
Malleolus lateralis
French
Malléole latérale