Evaluating the Biomechanics of the Pediatric Foot in Turner Syndrome

Abstract

Turner syndrome is a genetic disorder that can present clinically with multiple concurrent comorbidities. This case report describes a 12-year-old girl with Turner syndrome who was referred for podiatric medical assessment and explores the application of optoelectronic stereophotogrammetry in the biomechanical assessment of the foot and lower limb. A four-segment kinematic foot model using 14-mm reflective markers was applied to the foot and lower limb of the patient to track motion at the tibia, rearfoot, forefoot, and hallux. Kinematic results presented in this case study illustrate evidence of excessive foot pronation throughout the stance phase of gait. Whether excessive pronation is a general characteristic of foot function in Turner syndrome remains to be confirmed, but the findings presented suggest that a comprehensive evaluation of foot biomechanics in patients with Turner syndrome may be warranted.