Tag: outlander starz

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Fun Fact: Calcaneus

Anatomy Def: Calcaneus, largest of the foot bones (red arrow), forms the heel.

Outlander Def: Rollos’s grisly munch-brunch!

Learn about the calcaneus in Anatomy Lesson #59, Complete Feet. 

Calcaneus is the largest of 7 irregularly-shaped tarsal bones of the foot skeleton. It forms the heel of foot and in profile resembles a pistol grip. It serves us well by performing the following:

  • provides attachment for the Achilles’ (calcaneal) tendon (via posterior tubercle)
  • one of the most important weight-bearing bones of body
  • provides attachment for foot ligaments and 9 muscles (3 via Achilles’ tendon)
  • provides leverage for tendon of long flexor of great toe (flexor hallucus longus) to improve spring (as in jumping)

A fracture of the calcaneus also goes by the odd names, lover’s fracture or Don Juan fracture. Here, a person falls from a great height and lands on the heels, crushing the calcaneus under the body’s weight. Just imagine a cheating wife’s lover jumping from a bedroom window to escape an enraged spouse – hence, the name. Run!

Read about heels in Diana’s splendid tome, Drums of Autumn. This excellent scene at River Run, (which has yet to appear in TV Outlander S4) describes Jamie doing a heel pirouette in his plaid for his wife (who else?)! He whirls on his calcaneus. Yay!

He hadn’t worn the kilt since Culloden, but his body had not forgotten the way of it.

“Oh!” I said.

He saw me then, and white teeth flashed as he made me a leg, silver shoe-buckles gleaming. He straightened and turned on his heel to set his plaid swinging, then came down slowly, eyes fixed on my face. 

For a moment, I saw him as he had looked the morning I married him. The sett of his tartan was nearly the same now as then; black check on a crimson ground, plaid caught at his shoulder with a silver brooch, dipping to the calf of a neat, stockinged leg.

See Ian grip what is left of right leg and foot from Roger’s unfortunate fellow traveler in Starz ep 411, If Not for Hope. Look closely – a severed Achille’s tendon dangles from the calcaneus. Fabulous!

Rollo, what have ye got there? Yikes, it’s human! Bad wolf-dog! No more bedtime kisses. 😉

A deeply grateful, Outlander Anatomist

Photo credit: Starz

 

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Outlander Talk with OutlanderBTS

Greetings Outlander fans!  Last Friday evening,  Courtney Williams of Outlander Behind the Scenes brought together an attorney, an anatomist and a physician to share our thoughts about Outlander ep 402, Do No Harm.

Outlander ep 402, Do No Harm

Nothing said was pre-rehearsed. The outcome of this discussion is largely due to the management, interviewing and editing skills of Courtney William.

Although Courtney and I met in September at NYCC,  we had not met either Catherine or Antoinette.  Within moments we were fast friends and colleagues – a testament to the strength and fidelity of the Outlander fandom!

Bolstered by our fav drinks, we began a far reaching discussion of first impressions, slavery, medicine, Jocasta, aconite and other miscellaneous topics.

Especially poignant are remarks by Cathy and Antoinette, both women of color. I hope you can find an hour  of free time to watch our musings. Please feel free to comment on the discussion which can be accessed at this link: http://outlanderbts.com/

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo credit: Sony/Starz

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Fun Fact: Palmar Aponeurosis

 

Anatomy def: Fan-shaped sheet of dense fibrous tissue beneath skin of palm. Fibers flare from apex at wrist to bases of the four fingers. 

Outlander Def: Tough layer of Claire’s trembling palm as it cups two rings: Frank’s gold and Jamie’s silver.  My precious! Gah!

Learn about the palmar aponeurosis in Anatomy Lesson #23, Harming Hands – Helping Hands – Healing Hands.

Palmar aponeurosis, also known as palmar fascia, is anatomically complex consisting of a sheet of connective fibers that converge near the distal wrist crease and radiate to the bases of the fingers (see below figure). It attaches to muscles, ligaments, digital sheaths and a forearm tendon (palmaris longus).

Function of palmar aponeurosis is mechanical. It firmly attach­es to the palmar skin allowing it to:

  • cup
  • improve the grip
  • protect underlying tendons and muscles

Slow thickening and shortening of  the palmar aponeurosis is a condition known as Dupuytren’s Contracture. It is more common in folks with Northern European ancestry.

Try this: Bring flexed (bent) fingers and thumb towards each other to form a cup in palm of hand. Tense the hand and tap the palm with fingers of the opposite hand.  It should feel tense and tight. This is the palmar aponeurosis. Good job!

Read about Steven Bonnet’s attack on the Frasers in Herself’s fourth big book, Drums of Autumn. The palmar aponeurosis helps Claire cradle those precious rings in the palm of her hand:

I twisted my gold ring off, hands trembling both with fear and rage. The silver one was harder; it stuck on my knuckle as though reluctant to part from me. Both rings were damp and slippery with sweat, the metal warmer than my suddenly chilled fingers.

“Give ’em up.” The man poked me roughly in the shoulder, then turned up a broad, grubby palm for the rings. I reached toward him, reluctantly, rings cupped in my hand—and then, with an impulse I didn’t stop to examine, clapped my hand to my mouth instead.

See Claire’s  moment of decision in Outlander episode 401, America the Beautiful:  to swallow or not to swallow, that is the question? Swallow, lass!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credits: Sony/Starz; Cunningham’s Textbook of Anatomy, William Wood & Company, 1914.