Each human lower limb has 30 bones in this order from top to bottom: femur (thigh, longest bone), patella (knee cap), tibia and fibula (shank), 7 tarsals (ankle), 5 metatarsals and 14 phalanges (toes). Memory hook: "Fat People Try Finding Ten More Presents" (Femur, Patella, Tibia, Fibula, Tarsals, Metatarsals, Phalanges). NEET loves the exact order and the numbers 7-5-14.
Bones of one human lower limb in top-to-bottom order with NCERT numbers: femur (1, longest), patella (1), tibia and fibula (1 each), tarsals (7), metatarsals (5), phalanges (14) — 30 bones per limb, 60 for both.
Your doubts, answered
What is the correct top-to-bottom order of bones in the human lower limb?
Femur (thigh) then patella (knee cap) then tibia and fibula (shank) then tarsals (ankle) then metatarsals (sole) then phalanges (toes). NEET asks this as a sequence question. Remember patella comes AFTER femur and BEFORE tibia, not first.
How many tarsals, metatarsals and phalanges are there?
7 tarsals (ankle bones), 5 metatarsals (sole bones), and 14 phalanges (toe bones) per limb. NCERT states these numbers directly. Note tarsals are 7 while carpals (wrist) are 8.
What is the difference between tibia and fibula?
Both are shank bones between knee and ankle. The tibia is the thicker, medial (inner), weight-bearing bone; the fibula is the thin lateral (outer) bone. NCERT groups them together as 'tibia and fibula' — you just need to know both are present in the shank.
Which is the longest bone in the human body?
The femur (thigh bone). NCERT explicitly calls it 'the longest bone'. This single line is a very common one-mark NEET fact.
What is the patella and where does it sit?
The patella is a cup-shaped bone commonly called the knee cap. It sits over the knee joint, between the femur and the tibia in the sequence. It is a sesamoid bone formed within a tendon.
⚠️ The NEET trap ✗ Placing the patella first or last in the lower-limb sequence (e.g. Patella-Femur-Tibia-Tarsal, or Femur-Tibia-Patella-Tarsal). ✓ The correct order is Femur - Patella - Tibia - Tarsal. Patella (knee cap) lies between the femur and the tibia. 🧠 Patella is the KNEE cap — the knee is BELOW the thigh (femur) and ABOVE the shank (tibia), so patella must come in the MIDDLE, never first or last.
Real NEET questions
ReNEET 2026
Which of the following represents the correct sequence of arrangement of bones in the lower limb of humans?
A · Femur-tibia-patella-tarsal
B · Patella-femur-tibia-tarsal
C · Femur-patella-tibia-tarsal ✓
D · Femur-tarsal-patella-tibia
Solution: Going down the lower limb: femur (thigh) then patella (knee cap covering the knee) then tibia (shank) then tarsals (ankle). So the order is Femur-patella-tibia-tarsal. The traps put patella first or after tibia.
NEET 2023 Phase 2
Match List-I with List-II.
List-I: (A) Palm bones (B) Wrist bones (C) Ankle bones (D) Digit bones
List-II: (I) Phalanges (II) Metacarpals (III) Carpals (IV) Tarsals
A · (A)-(III), (B)-(IV), (C)-(I), (D)-(II)
B · (A)-(II), (B)-(III), (C)-(IV), (D)-(I) ✓
C · (A)-(II), (B)-(III), (C)-(I), (D)-(IV)
D · (A)-(IV), (B)-(I), (C)-(II), (D)-(III)
Solution: Palm bones = metacarpals (A-II), wrist bones = carpals (B-III), ankle bones = tarsals (C-IV), digit bones = phalanges (D-I). For the lower limb, remember tarsals are the ankle bones (7 in number) and phalanges are the toe bones (14 in number).
Solved Locomotion and Movement NEET PYQs
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Are the lower-limb bones part of the axial or appendicular skeleton?
They belong to the appendicular skeleton, which includes the limb bones and the girdles. The axial skeleton is skull, vertebral column, ribs and sternum.
Which bone forms the ankle and which forms the sole?
Tarsals form the ankle (7 bones) and metatarsals form the sole (5 bones). The toes are made of phalanges (14 bones).
Is the number of phalanges in the leg the same as in the arm?
Yes. Each limb, upper or lower, has 14 phalanges. This symmetry is a common NCERT one-mark point.
Where does the lower limb attach to the body?
The femur fits into the acetabulum, the socket of the pelvic girdle, forming the ball-and-socket hip joint.
