Abstract
BackgroundDifferent foot postures are associated with alterations in foot function, kinetics and the subsequent occurrence of injury. Little is known about changes in foot posture following prolonged weightbearing exercise. This study aimed to identify changes in foot posture after running a half marathon.MethodsFoot posture was measured using the Foot Posture Index (FPI-6) and navicular height in thirty volunteer participants before and after running a half marathon. FPI-6 scores were converted to Rasch logit values and means compared for these and navicular height using an ANOVA.ResultsThere was a 5 mm drop in navicular height in both feet when measured after the half marathon (P < 0.05). The FPI-6 showed a side x time interaction with an increase in score indicating a more ‘pronated’ position in the left foot of + 2 [Rasch value + 1.7] but no change in the right foot (+ 0.4 [+ 0.76]) following the half marathon.ConclusionThe apparent differences between the FPI-6 and navicular height on the right foot may be because the FPI-6 takes soft tissue contour changes into consideration whilst the navicular height focuses on skeletal changes. The changes in foot posture towards a more pronated position may have implications for foot function, and therefore risk of injury; shoe fit and comfort and also the effect of therapeutic orthoses worn during prolonged running.
Highlights
Different foot postures are associated with alterations in foot function, kinetics and the subsequent occurrence of injury
The foot has been reported to be the site of injury in long distance runners in 5.7- 39.3% of all reported running injuries compared to the ankle (3.9% to 16.6%), knee (7.2% to 50.0%) and lower leg (9.0% to 32.2%) [9]
This study aims to assess the changes with foot posture immediately following a half marathon
Summary
Different foot postures are associated with alterations in foot function, kinetics and the subsequent occurrence of injury. Burns et al.’s study builds on the findings of Cowan et al [1] who investigated injury rates in 246 US Army infantry recruits and found that of the ‘high’, ‘normal’ and ‘low’ arched feet among the recruits that the low arched feet were at the least risk of injury with normal and high arched feet showing higher injury rates Whilst these studies concurred that highly arched feet appear to be at greater risk of injury Williams et al [14] surveyed twenty long distance runners with highly arched feet and 20 with low arches and found that both groups reported high levels of soft tissue injury and stress fractures. These findings were consistent with their centre of pressure pathways which remained more medial in low arched individuals and more lateral in high arched individuals during a short, non-fatiguing run
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