Abstract
Flatfoot is linked to secondary lower limb joint problems, such as patellofemoral pain. This study aimed to investigate the influence of medial posting insoles on the joint mechanics of the lower extremity in adults with flatfoot. Gait analysis was performed on fifteen young adults with flatfoot under two conditions: walking with shoes and foot orthoses (WSFO), and walking with shoes (WS) in random order. The data collected by a vicon system were used to drive the musculoskeletal model to estimate the hip, patellofemoral, ankle, medial and lateral tibiofemoral joint contact forces. The joint contact forces in WSFO and WS conditions were compared. Compared to the WS group, the second peak patellofemoral contact force (p < 0.05) and the peak ankle contact force (p < 0.05) were significantly lower in the WSFO group by 10.2% and 6.8%, respectively. The foot orthosis significantly reduced the peak ankle eversion angle (p < 0.05) and ankle eversion moment (p < 0.05); however, the peak knee adduction moment increased (p < 0.05). The reduction in the patellofemoral joint force and ankle contact force could potentially inhibit flatfoot-induced lower limb joint problems, despite a greater knee adduction moment.
Highlights
One-quarter of the adult population suffers from flexible flatfoot [1,2,3].Flexible flatfoot is characterized by the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch upon weightbearing and is often accompanied by excessive rearfoot eversion and forefoot abduction [1,4]
Much work has been done on the lower limb joint contact forces in various conditions, we found that no studies have investigated the effects of foot orthosis on the lower limb joint contact forces for the adult with flatfoot through musculoskeletal multibody model after a review of the related literature
We utilized the MSK model approach to investigate the influence of the foot orthosis on the biomechanics of the lower extremity for adults with flatfoot
Summary
One-quarter of the adult population suffers from flexible flatfoot (or pes planus) [1,2,3]. Flexible flatfoot is characterized by the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch upon weightbearing and is often accompanied by excessive rearfoot eversion and forefoot abduction [1,4]. When the medial longitudinal arch is flattened and rearfoot eversion increases in flatfoot subjects, tensional force increases in the plantar fascia [6]. Patients with flatfoot show abnormal alteration in foot muscle morphology [7]. Those reasons could cause flatfoot to progress into ankle pain and plantar fasciitis [8,9]
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