Rocker ankles

dasaffe · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:01 am

On your test, Adrien, I fall into the outlying category. It's easy to swing my foot a tilting 60 degrees with my sole fast to the floor and my leg held by my hand shortly before my knee.

I guess I don't like it when the toys can't move like me.

lordnestor · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:24 am

rocker ankles suck! some dont straighten out good at all

sbarrett4 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:46 am

The knee provides some rotation for the entire lower leg (shin and ankle). If you guys want anatomically correct motion in 4" scale, why not create a better knee joint? Something akin to the elbows. Its already been done with Star Wars figures.

You have to remember that a plastic figure is not going to bend and move in the same way as a human. If you want lifelike motion, you have to add it in in places that real humans may not have motion.

I don't like the rocker ankles for this reason: it causes figures to droop too easily with or without a stand. I prefer to have my figures able to rotate their feet out a bit to better stabilize them. I'll take some anatomical incorrectness if it means my figures can be posed and remain that way for more than a day. Now if I want a diorama with Doc and Lifeline treating a sprained or dislocated ankle, these are the joints.

sbarrett4 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:56 am

AdrienVeidt wrote:

Nope, sorry, man; there's no swivel motion between the ankle and knee. In many people the fibula doesn't even come all the way down to connect to the ankle to form the radius/ulna relationship of the forearm, with the tibia being far too thick and necessary for simply holding the body up to permit twisting like in the forearm bones.

I've never heard this before. My anatomy classes taught me that the fibula was the attachment point for three ligaments that provide lateral support for the ankle and the lateral malleolus of the ankle mortise - along with the medial malleolus (tibia) and talus (center). You are correct that they don't rotate as the radius and ulna do.

Lance Sputnik · **Joined:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:19 am **Location:** Pants

Ugh. Rocker ankles suck. I'm going to have to fix all of these three pack figures, dammit.

Greyryder · **Joined:** Sun May 25, 2008 9:59 pm

You guys are nuts. All my best standing figures have rocker ankles. (or rocker toes, on some of my digitigrade legged customs) Rocker ankles are awesome.

turner · **Joined:** Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:04 pm

I'm not crazy about the rocker ankles either.

AdrienVeidt · **Joined:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:19 am

sbarrett4 wrote:

AdrienVeidt wrote:

Nope, sorry, man; there's no swivel motion between the ankle and knee. In many people the fibula doesn't even come all the way down to connect to the ankle to form the radius/ulna relationship of the forearm, with the tibia being far too thick and necessary for simply holding the body up to permit twisting like in the forearm bones.

I've never heard this before. My anatomy classes taught me that the fibula was the attachment point for three ligaments that provide lateral support for the ankle and the lateral malleolus of the ankle mortise - along with the medial malleolus (tibia) and talus (center). You are correct that they don't rotate as the radius and ulna do.

Yah, the ligaments still connect, but they connect across a gap where the bones have no contact. In some people the gap can be as wide as 3 inches, from what I've seen. The fibula is one of those evolutionary holdovers that's gradually fading away due to lack of use.

sbarrett4 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2012 11:54 pm

AdrienVeidt wrote:

sbarrett4 wrote:

AdrienVeidt wrote:

Nope, sorry, man; there's no swivel motion between the ankle and knee. In many people the fibula doesn't even come all the way down to connect to the ankle to form the radius/ulna relationship of the forearm, with the tibia being far too thick and necessary for simply holding the body up to permit twisting like in the forearm bones.

I've never heard this before. My anatomy classes taught me that the fibula was the attachment point for three ligaments that provide lateral support for the ankle and the lateral malleolus of the ankle mortise - along with the medial malleolus (tibia) and talus (center). You are correct that they don't rotate as the radius and ulna do.

Yah, the ligaments still connect, but they connect across a gap where the bones have no contact. In some people the gap can be as wide as 3 inches, from what I've seen. The fibula is one of those evolutionary holdovers that's gradually fading away due to lack of use.

Can you provide me some links to this info? As someone working in sports medicine and dealing with many ankle injuries, I'd like to see what I may come across.

AdrienVeidt · **Joined:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:19 am

I'll see what I can find.

Rocker ankles

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