Introduction Due to varying concerns and interests, it has become necessary for medical professionals to study how human movement is initiated, performed, maintained, and controlled. By studying and analyzing the musculoskeletal bases of movement, it is feasible to have an anatomical framework on which the dynamics of human movement can be referenced and illustrated in an unequivocal manner (Trew & Everett, 2001). Seminal investigations have demonstrated that the human body has an estimated 640 skeletal muscles, varying in size and purpose from minute vestigial muscles to large muscles such as the gluteus maximus (Jones & Barker, 2002). According to the authors, over one-third of the human body’s overall mass is made up of skeletal muscles. It is the purpose of this paper to offer a descriptive analysis of the bones and soft tissue structures that make up the arches of the foot. The arches of the foot are of particular importance by virtue of being tasked with the responsibility of allowing the foot to support the total weight of the body in an upright position with the least weight (Myers, 1997). Studies on this area are of concern to many professionals, including medical doctors, sports trainers, sportsmen, massage therapists, physiotherapists, and, to a large extent, ordinary people seeking to have knowledge on how they are able to coordinate movement and maintain stability in an erect posture. Brief Description of Human Movement The importance of skeletal muscles cannot be underestimated because without them, the body would be incapable of attaining its characteristic upright posture as may be witnessed by the devastating effects of Paraplegia. Movement becomes difficult when the body is unable to assume its normal upright position. According to Jones & Barker (2002) the “…muscles, exited by the nervous system, act on the skeletal structure of the body to promote movement and to provide stability to the skeleton” (p. 50). The muscles produce forces that put pressure on the joints of the body to either provide movement or offer skeletal stability. In normal circumstances, the amount of force applied by a muscle to cause mobility or stability is dependent on the muscle volume, biomechanical attributes and the constitution and position of the joint (Jones & Barker, 2002). Consequently, a wholly functioning musculoskeletal system is fundamental for proper movement to take place. The Arches of the Foot The human foot is exceedingly intricate in its structures and function. The structure itself is comprised of 26 bones, soft tissue structures, muscles, joints and tendons (Myers, 1997). Holistically, the foot is tasked with the twin functions of weight absorption and propulsion, and therefore requires a high level of flexibility and stability to successfully perform these functions. In essence, the foot acts as a very energetic base, requiring invariable adaptation to changing weight patterns from above. It becomes difficult, if not impossible, to support weight or achieve balance if the foot is not well-founded on the most basic structural level (Banks et al, 2001). One important facet of the foot that helps it to support any weight and absorb pressure from activities such as jumping or running is the arches, which are formed through a complex interplay between the multiple bones found in the