ArticlePDF Available

Abstract and Figures

Background: The medial longitudinal arch of the foot is a variable structure, and a decrease in its height could affect several functions and increase the risk of injuries in the lower limbs. There are many different techniques for evaluating it. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlations of the Navicular Drop Test, several footprint parameters, and the Foot Posture Index-6 in people with a low medial longitudinal arch. Intrarater reliability and interrater reliability were also estimated. Design: This was a repeated-measures, observational descriptive study. Methods: Seventy-one participants (53.5% women; mean age = 24.13 years; SD = 3.41) were included. All of the parameters were collected from the dominant foot. The correlation coefficients were calculated. The reliability was also calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient, 95% CI, and kappa coefficient. Results: Statistically significant correlations were obtained between the Navicular Drop Test and the footprint parameters, with r absolute values ranging from 0.722 to 0.788. The Navicular Drop Test and the Foot Posture Index-6 showed an excellent correlation (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.8), and good correlations (Spearman correlation coefficient = |0.663-0.703|) were obtained between the footprint parameters and the Foot Posture Index-6. Excellent intrarater reliability and interrater reliability were obtained for all of the parameters. Limitations: Radiographic parameters, the gold standard for evaluating the medial longitudinal arch height, were not used. In addition, the results of this research cannot be generalized to people with normal and high medial longitudinal arches. Conclusions: In participants with a low medial longitudinal arch, the Navicular Drop Test showed significant correlations with footprint parameters; correlations were good for the arch angle and Chippaux-Smirnak Index, and excellent for the Staheli Index. The Foot Posture Index-6 showed an excellent correlation with the Navicular Drop Test and a good correlation with the footprint parameters evaluated. All of the parameters showed high reliability.
Content may be subject to copyright.
Original Research
J.C. Zuil-Escobar, PT, PhD, Depart-
ment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of
Medicine, CEU-San Pablo University,
Avenida Montepríncipe s/n Boadilla del
Monte, 28668 Madrid, Spain. Address
all correspondence to Mr Zuil-Escobar
at: jczuil@ceu.es.
C.B. Martínez-Cepa, PT, PhD, De-
partment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of
Medicine, CEU-San Pablo University.
J.A. Martín-Urrialde, PT, PhD, Depart-
ment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of
Medicine, CEU-San Pablo University.
A. Gómez-Conesa, PT, PhD, Depart-
ment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of
Medicine, Espinardo Campus, Univer-
sity of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
[Zuil-Escobar JC, Martínez-Cepa CB,
Martín-Urrialde JA, Gómez-Conesa A.
Evaluating the medial longitudinal arch
of the foot: correlations, reliability, and
accuracy in people with a low arch.
Phys Ther. 2019;99:364–372.]
C
2018 American Physical Therapy As-
sociation
Published Ahead of Print:
December 7, 2018
Accepted: July 16, 2018
Submitted: November 13, 2017
Evaluating the Medial Longitudinal
Arch of the Foot: Correlations,
Reliability, and Accuracy in People
With a Low Arch
Juan C. Zuil-Escobar, Carmen B. Martínez-Cepa, Jose A. Martín-Urrialde,
Antonia Gómez-Conesa
Background. The medial longitudinal arch of the foot is a variable structure, and a
decrease in its height could affect several functions and increase the risk of injuries in the
lower limbs. There are many different techniques for evaluating it.
Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlations of the Navicular
Drop Test, several footprint parameters, and the Foot Posture Index-6 in people with a low
medial longitudinal arch. Intrarater reliability and interrater reliability were also estimated.
Design. This was a repeated-measures, observational descriptive study.
Methods. Seventy-one participants (53.5% women; mean age =24.13 years; SD =3.41)
were included. All of the parameters were collected from the dominant foot. The corre-
lation coefcients were calculated. The reliability was also calculated using the intraclass
correlation coefcient, 95% CI, and kappa coefcient.
Results. Statistically signicant correlations were obtained between the Navicular Drop
Test and the footprint parameters, with rabsolute values ranging from 0.722 to 0.788.
The Navicular Drop Test and the Foot Posture Index-6 showed an excellent correlation
(Spearman correlation coefcient =0.8), and good correlations (Spearman correlation
coefcient =|0.663–0.703|) were obtained between the footprint parameters and the Foot
Posture Index-6. Excellent intrarater reliability and interrater reliability were obtained for
all of the parameters.
Limitations. Radiographic parameters, the gold standard for evaluating the medial lon-
gitudinal arch height, were not used. In addition, the results of this research cannot be
generalized to people with normal and high medial longitudinal arches.
Conclusions. In participants with a low medial longitudinal arch, the Navicular Drop
Test showed signicant correlations with footprint parameters; correlations were good for
the arch angle and Chippaux-Smirnak Index, and excellent for the Staheli Index. The Foot
Posture Index-6 showed an excellent correlation with the Navicular Drop Test and a good
correlation with the footprint parameters evaluated.All of the parameters showed high
reliability.
364 Physical Therapy Volume 99 Number 3 2019
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
Evaluating the Medial Arch in People With Low Arch
The medial longitudinal arch (MLA) is a
variable structure1and its height could affect several
functions during static standing and walking.2,3A
decrease in the MLA height is related to modications in
the lower limb alignment, including subtalar pronation,4
tibial internal torsion,5tibial internal rotation,6greater
genu recurvatum,5anterior knee laxity,7pelvic
anteversion,8and lumbar lordosis.9The height of the MLA
may affect muscular activity. A Navicular Drop Test (NDT)
score of 13 mm is associated with decreased concentric
plantar exion strength compared to normal MLA.10 In
addition, the height of the MLA is considered a relevant
factor for several lower limb pathologies, including medial
tibial stress syndrome,11,12 patellofemoral syndrome,13,14
and noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injuries15 and
foot pain.1
Owing to the consequences of a low MLA, it is necessary
to evaluate the height of the MLA in clinical practice to
obtain information for treatment decisions. The evaluation
of the MLA height comprises several methods.16 Many
parameters can be calculated from the footprints,
including the arch angle (AA), the Staheli Index (SI),17 and
the Chippaux-Smirnak Index (CSI).18 Ink footprint is a
noninvasive method that can be used in clinical practice
and investigation16,19 ,20 but has some limitations, such as
the inaccuracy of measurements and difculties in
interpretation.19 Digital systems overcome these
limitations and are widely used in both clinical practice
and investigation,20 but they are expensive. Clinical
techniques include the navicular measurements.16,20
The NDT was described by Brody21 and shows the
difference (in mm) of the height of the navicular
tuberosity in 2 positions: subtalar neutral position and
relaxedposture.TheNDTisaninexpensive,easy,and
quick method; high NDT values are associated with a low
MLA and pronated foot.21 Posture-related indices are other
methods for evaluating the MLA height.20 The Foot
Posture Index (FPI) is a valid and reliable method used to
quantify foot posture22 and the height of the MLA.20
Although the original FPI evaluated 8 items (FPI-8),23 a
6-item version (FPI-6) was redened and assessed across
the 3 planes of the foot.22,24 Each criterion of the FPI-6 is
scored on a 5-point scale (ranging from 2to+2), and
the scores are summed to provide a total score (ranging
from 12 to +12) for the determination of foot posture.22
The FPI-6 is commonly used in both research and clinical
practice.16,20 ,24,25 Therefore, there are several methods for
studying the height of the MLA. However, clinicians need a
reliable, valid, and inexpensive measurement that is useful
for clinical practice.
To our knowledge, the correlations of the NDT, the
footprint parameters, and the FPI-6 in people with a low
MLA have not yet been studied. The 2 aims of this study
were to evaluate the correlations of the NDT, the footprint
parameters (including the AA, SI, and CSI), and the FPI-6
in people with a low MLA, and to estimate the intrarater
reliability and interrater reliability of these parameters.
Methods
Design
A repeated-measures, observational, descriptive study was
carried out.
Participants
The study included university student volunteers. The
participants were asked to complete a consent form and
were informed about the procedure and the aims of the
study. The principles outlined in the Declaration of
Helsinki of 1975 were observed and the project was
approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Centro de
Estudios Universitarios San Pablo University.
Volunteers were included if their MLA was low. A low MLA
was considered if the NDT presented a value of 10
mm.3,26,27 The dominant foot was evaluated in each
volunteer by using the kicking ball test to determine the
dominant limb.28 The following exclusion criteria were
established: had a body mass index (BMI) of 30, had
undergone lower extremity surgery, had lower extremity
injuries in the previous 6 months, and had lower limb
deformities. A clinical examination of each volunteer was
performed to determine the presence of leg length
discrepancy, hip anteversion/retroversion, genu
recurvatum/exum, genu varum/valgum, tibial torsion,
tibial varum, or hallux valgus. Volunteers were excluded
when 1 or more deformities were observed. Demographic
variables, including age, sex, height, weight, and BMI,
were collected.
The required sample size was calculated using the
correlations between the NDT and the AA, SI, CSI, and
FPI-6 for the rst 20 participants (age =25.32 years;
SD =4.96). The G-power program was used to calculate
the sample size, using an alpha level of 0.05 and 80%
statistical power. The minimum value in the internal pilot
study and the correlation obtained by Nakhaee et al26
between the NDT and the AI (0.44) were used. The sample
size required was 71 participants.
The intrarater reliability and interrater reliability of the
measurements were also evaluated in the rst 20
participants, with an interval of 48 hours, by 2 physical
therapists with more than 6 years of experience in the use
of these techniques. The testers and participants were
unaware of the reliability results.
Procedure
A modication of the Brody procedure21 was used to
collect the NDT: the participants stood barefoot, in
bilateral standing, on the oor, and the navicular
tuberosity was marked. The lateral and medial aspects of
the talar dome of the foot were palpated. The foot was
everted and inverted until the talus was in a central
2019 Volume 99 Number 3 Physical Therapy 365
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
Evaluating the Medial Arch in People With Low Arch
position. This was determined to be the subtalar neutral
position. The distance between the navicular tuberosity
and the oor was measured. The height of the navicular
tuberosity was measured in the relaxed position; the NDT
being the difference between the 2 measurements. The
NDT requires previous training, proving less reliable with
inexperienced raters.29
The footprints were collected using a pressure platform
(Footchecker; Loran Engineering, Bologna, Italy). The
participants were asked to stand on the pressure platform,
in bilateral standing, while looking at a reference point
located 1.8 m above the oor with their arms relaxed at
their sides. When the participants were stable, the data
were recorded. From the footprints obtained, 3 parameters
were calculated using pressure platform software
(Footchecker 4.0): AA, SI, and CSI (eFigure, available at
https://academic.oup.com/ptj). The AA is the angle formed
between the line connecting the most medial points at the
heel and forefoot and the line from the most medial point
of the forefoot to the apex of the concavity of the MLA.30
The SI is obtained by dividing the minimal distance of the
midfoot by the widest section of the rear foot region,18
and the CSI is the ratio of the minimal distance of the
midfoot to the maximal distance of the forefoot.18
The 6 items of the FPI-6 (talar head palpation; supra- and
infralateral maleolar curvature; calcaneal frontal plane
position; prominence in the region of the talonavicular
joint; congruence of the MLA; and abduction/adduction of
the forefoot on the rear foot)24 were evaluated with the
participants in a relaxed bipedal position.
In the correlation study, the measurements were collected
by a physical therapist with more than 6 years of
experience in the use of the measurements.
Data Analysis
The data normality was veried using the
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Means and standard deviations
were used for the descriptive analysis of the continuous
variables, and frequencies and percentages were used for
discrete variables. The reliability of the NDT and the
footprint parameters was evaluated using the intraclass
correlation coefcient [ICC(2,1)] and the 95% CI. The
kappa coefcient (κ) was used to evaluate the reliability of
the FPI-6. The ICC was determined by using mixed-effect
and absolute agreement or consistency 2-factor alpha
models. In addition, the standard error of measurement
(SEM) and the minimum detectable change at a 95%
condence level (MDC95) were also calculated. The
following formulas were used to calculate the SEM and the
MCD95:SEM=SD (1–ICC)31 ;
MDC95 =SEM ×1.96 ×2.32 Pearson correlation
coefcients (r) were obtained for the NDT relative to each
of the footprint parameters. The correlations between the
FPI-6 and the other measurements were evaluated using
the Spearman correlation coefcient (rs). The ICC was
interpreted as follows: poor reliability (0.5), moderate
reliability (0.5–0.75), good reliability (0.75–0.9), and
excellent reliability (0.9).33 The interpretation of Landis
and Koch34 was used for the κvalues: poor agreement
(<0); slight agreement (0.00–0.20); fair agreement
(0.21–0.40); moderate agreement (0.41–0.60); substantial
agreement (0.61–0.80); and almost perfect agreement
(0.81–1). Correlations were interpreted as follows: poor
(0–0.39), fair (0.4–0.59), good (0.60–0.74), and excellent
(0.75).35 The statistical analysis was conducted using
SPSS 20.0 (IBM SPSS, Chicago, IL), and a Pvalue of <.05
was considered statistically signicant.
Results
Reliability
Twelve women (60%) and 8 men (40%) were included in
the reliability study. All of the MLA variables showed a
normal distribution. Table 1shows the ICC, 95% CI, SEM,
and MCD95 of the NDT and the footprint parameters. Both
intrarater reliability and interrater reliability were excellent
for all of the parameters studied (P<.001), being higher
than 0.9, except for the CSI in interrater time 2
(ICC =0.898). The SEM and the MDC95 were low, giving a
high level of accuracy. The FPI-6 showed almost perfect
agreement for both intrarater reliability (κ=0.872) and
interrater reliability (κ=0.829).
Correlations
Seventy-one participants (24.13 years old [SD =3.41]; 38
women [53.5%] and 33 men [46.5%]) were included in the
correlation study. The mean values were 11.83 mm
(SD =1.68) for the NDT, 25.32 degrees (SD =3.63) for
the AA, 47.43 (SD =8.98) for the SI, and 64.71
(SD =12.49) for the CSI. Figure 1shows the frequencies
of the FPI-6 categories.
Statistically signicant correlations (P<.001) were
obtained between the NDT and the footprint parameters.
Pearson rabsolute values ranged from 0.722 to 0.788. The
correlation between the NDT and the FPI-6 was excellent
(P<.001; rs=0.818), and that between the footprint
parameters and the FPI-6 was good (P<.001;
rs=|0.663–0.703|). The footprint parameters showed an
excellent correlation (P<.001) with each other
(r=|0.901–0.931|). Table 2shows the r, 95% CI, and
coefcients of determination (r2) among all of the outcome
measures. Figures 2through 4show the correlations
between the NDT and the footprint parameters evaluated.
Discussion
Reliability
The reliability and SEM are important elements for the
validity and interpretation of measurements. In our
research, the reliability (both intrarater and interrater) of
all of the measurements was high, making them
satisfactory for clinical use.
366 Physical Therapy Volume 99 Number 3 2019
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
Evaluating the Medial Arch in People With Low Arch
Tab le 1 .
Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), 95% CI, Standard Error of Measurement (SEM), and Minimum Detectable Change at
95% Confidence Level (MDC95) for the Navicular Drop Test (NDT) and Footprint Parametersa
Reliability Measure RaterorTime ICC 95% CI SEM MDC95
Intrarater NDT Rater 1 0.955b0.886–0.982 0.318 0.883
Rater 2 0.950b0.895–0.976 0.314 0.870
AA Rater 1 0.977b0.941–0.991 0.739 2.048
Rater 2 0.973b0.942–0.987 0.722 2
SI Rater 1 0.972b0.928–0.989 0.585 1.622
Rater 2 0.975b0.947–0.988 0.580 1.608
CSI Rater 1 0.959b0.897–0.984 1.002 2.778
Rater 2 0.946b0.888–0.975 1.043 2.890
Interrater NDT Time 1 0.914b0.795–0.965 0.440 1.220
Time 2 0.919b0.836–0.960 0.442 1.226
AA Time 1 0.954b0.888–0.982 1.045 2.896
Time 2 0.947b0.891–0.976 1.011 2.803
SI Time 1 0.945b0.866–0.978 0.820 2.273
Time 2 0.951b0.899–0.982 0.812 2.251
CSI Time 1 0.921b0.813–0.968 1.391 3.857
Time 2 0.898b0.798–0.950 1.433 3.972
aAA =arch angle; CSI =Chippaux-Smirnak Index; SI =Staheli Index.
bP<.001.
Figure 1.
Frequencies of Foot Posture Index-6 (FPI-6) categories.
The NDT demonstrated excellent intrarater reliability and
interrater reliability, with ICC values higher than 0.9. With
regard to intrarater reliability, rater 1 presented an ICC of
0.955 and rater 2 presented one of 0.950. Various
researchers have demonstrated good to excellent intrarater
reliability in people who were healthy (0.88–0.98),13,27,29
similar to our results. In people who were injured, the
intrarater reliability was good in those with patellofemoral
pain (0.76–0.81),13 excellent in people with anterior
cruciate ligament injury (0.9),36 and moderate to excellent
2019 Volume 99 Number 3 Physical Therapy 367
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
Evaluating the Medial Arch in People With Low Arch
Tab le 2 .
Pearson Coefficient Correlation (r), 95% CI, and Coefficient of Determination (r2)a
Measure
AA SI CSI
FPI-6 r(95% CI)
r(95% CI) r2r(95% CI) r2r(95% CI) r2
NDT 0.732 (0.601 to 0.825)b0.536 0.788 (0.680 to 0.863)b0.622 0.722 (0.588 to 0.818)b0.521 0.818 (0.723 to 0.882)b
AA 0.901 (0.845 to 0.937)b0.812 0.930 (0890 to 0.956)b0.865 0.663 (0.509 to 0.776)b
SI 0.931 (0.891 to 0.957)b0.867 0.703 (0.562 to 0.804)b
CSI 0.669 (0.517 to 0.780)b
aAA =arch angle; CSI =Chippaux-Smirnak Index; FPI-6 =Foot Posture Index-6; NDT =Navicular Drop Test; SI =Staheli Index.
bP<.001.
Figure 2.
Correlation between the Navicular Drop Test and the arch angle.
in people with rheumatoid arthritis (0.73–0.98).37 The
interrater reliability obtained in our study was also
excellent, demonstrating lower ICC values than the
intrarater reliability (0.908 and 0.917). Other researchers
previously identied less interrater reliability—moderate
to excellent interrater reliability in people who were
healthy (0.56–0.93)29,37 and people with rheumatoid
arthritis (0.67–0.92)37—and good interrater reliability in
those with patellofemoral pain (0.76–0.81).13 In our
research, the SEM was less than 0.5 mm in all cases; our
values were lower than the SEM obtained in other
studies.29,36,38 An explanation for this result could be that
only participants with a low MLA were included in our
sample, being a homogeneous sample. In addition, the
reliability of the NDT is related to the level of experience
of the testers.29,39 This could be related to the difculty in
locating the navicular tuberosity40 and placing the subtalar
joint in a neutral position.39 In our research, the testers
were trained in the management of the NDT and they
consistently and accurately identied the navicular
tuberosity, and demonstrated consistency in identifying
the subtalar neutral position.
With regard to the reliability of the footprint parameters,
both intrarater reliability and interrater reliability showed
ICC values near to or higher than 0.9. Previous studies
obtained excellent reliability for the SI and the CSI
(0.914–0.998).30,41 However, the reliability of the AA
shown previously ranged from moderate to excellent
(0.605–0.993).30,41,42 These ndings could be related to the
variations in identifying footprint landmarks.41 With
regard to the SEM, our values were low. No previous
studies evaluating the SEM in the footprint parameters
were found.
The FPI-6 also showed almost perfect agreement for both
intrarater reliability and interrater reliability, presenting κ
values higher than 0.8. Previous studies showed excellent
intrarater reliability23,43 and moderate44 to excellent
interrater reliability23,24 ,43 in adults who were healthy, and
368 Physical Therapy Volume 99 Number 3 2019
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
Evaluating the Medial Arch in People With Low Arch
Figure 3.
Correlation between the Navicular Drop Test and the Staheli Index.
Figure 4.
Correlation between the Navicular Drop Test and the Chippaux-Smirnak Index.
excellent interrater reliability in people with
patellofemoral pain syndrome.13 Problems in the type of
the foot have been found previously45,46 and a previous
training in the management of the FPI-6 is recommended
to increase the reliability.24,45 ,47 According to our ndings,
the NDT, AA, SI, CSI, and FPI-6 were reproducible and
showed high reliability in participants with a low MLA.
Correlations
With regard to the principal aim of the study, the
correlations of the NDT, the footprint parameters, and the
FPI-6 in participants with a low MLA were signicant
(P<.001).
2019 Volume 99 Number 3 Physical Therapy 369
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
Evaluating the Medial Arch in People With Low Arch
In terms of the correlations between the NDT and the
footprint parameters, the rvalues were higher than 0.7,
and the correlation was good for the AA (r=−0.732) and
the CSI (r=0.722) and excellent (r=0.788) for the SI. To
our knowledge, this is the rst research to evaluate this
relationship. However, the correlations between other
navicular measurements and the footprint parameters have
been studied before. Thus, the correlation between the
navicular height and the AA ranged from poor (r=0.39)42
to fair (r=0.457 to 0.571).30,48 The correlation between
the navicular height and the CSI was fair (r=−0.483 to
0.498),30,48 and the correlation between the navicular
height and the SI ranged from poor (r=0.302)48 to fair
(r=−0.469).30 The correlation increased when
normalized navicular height was used (ranging from 0.619
to 0.645).30 The normalized navicular height is obtained
by dividing the navicular height by the total length of the
foot.49 In the present research, we included only a low
MLA, whereas previous studies30 ,42,48 included a broad
spectrum of MLA heights. Moreover, we did not include
people with a BMI of 30 because the body composition
and BMI could inuence the interpretation of the
footprints.5052
The correlation between the NDT and the AI was also
studied. Billis et al53 obtained, in 26 people, a poor
correlation between the NDT and the AI, both in single-leg
stance AI (r=0.320) and bipedal stance AI (r=0.317).
Nakhaee et al26 found a fair correlation between the NDT
and the AI (r=0.44). The correlations obtained by us
were higher. This could be related to the fact that the AI is
inuenced by the soft tissues53 and the body
composition.51 In our study, there were no people with a
BMI of 30, and our sample included only individuals
with a low MLA. In addition, we used footprint parameters
related to the width of the foot, not dependent on the
contact area, such as the AI. Billis et al53 evaluated the
correlation between the NDT and the Valgus Index,
nding values similar to our own (r=0.631–0.657). This
could be explained by the fact that the Valgus Index, like
the footprint parameters studied in this work, does not
depend on the contact area of the foot.
The NDT and the FPI-6 showed an excellent correlation in
our study (rs=0.818). Our research included only
individuals with a low MLA (NDT values of 10 mm).
The observed category frequencies of the FPI-6 (Fig. 1)
also fell into ranges that indicated a low MLA.
Menz and Munteanu49 studied the correlations among
several parameters, including the FPI-8, the navicular
height, and the normalized navicular height in older
people, and included a broad spectrum of MLA height.
They obtained rvalues ranging from 0.722 to 0.735.
With regard to the correlations between the FPI-6 and the
footprint parameters, we obtained good correlations
(rs=|0.663–0.703|). We were unable to nd studies that
considered them. The few studies that have evaluated the
correlations between the FPI and the footprint parameters
used the FPI-8. Redmond et al22 compared the FPI-8 and
the Valgus Index, showing that the FPI-8 total scores
predicted 59% of the total variance of the Valgus Index.
Menz and Munteanu49 studied the correlation between the
FPI-8 and the AI in older people, nding a fair correlation
(r=0.424).
The evaluation of the MLA height should be included in
the clinical exploration of the foot posture. The decrease
of the height of the MLA is related to several lower limb
injuries,1,11,1315 back pain,54 ,55 and foot mobility.56 To our
knowledge, this is the rst research which has evaluated
the correlations of the NDT, the footprint parameters, and
the FPI-6 in people with a low MLA. In our study, the NDT
was well correlated with the footprint parameters and the
FPI-6 in the evaluation of the height of the MLA in people
with a low arch. Therefore, the clinicians can use different
measurements in the study of the MLA in such individuals.
However, the characteristics, advantages, and
disadvantages of these parameters need to be considered.
The NDT had fewer disadvantages than digital footprint
parameters and is an inexpensive method for evaluating
the MLA height. Pressure platforms are expensive and
many clinicians cannot use them in their clinical practice.
An alternative to this could be ink footprints, but they
present several disadvantages, including inaccurate
measurements and difculties in interpreting them.19 In
addition, footprint parameters could be affected by body
composition,50,51 while having no inuence on
measurements of navicular height.57 The FPI is commonly
used to quantify foot posture,22 being correlated to
radiographs,49 as it presents good interval construct
validity.58 The FPI evaluates the foot position using 6 or 8
items, whereas the NDT uses only 2 measurements. In
addition, the NDT is also correlated with radiographs.59
Therefore, clinicians should consider the NDT as the rst
option for examining foot posture in individuals with a
low MLA. The NDT is less time-consuming, has less
opportunity for error (compared with the other forms,
which require multiple measurements), and is highly
correlated with the other options.
Study Limitations
A limitation of the study is that we have not used
radiographic parameters, the gold standard for evaluating
the MLA height.16 A further study including radiographs
may be necessary to validate the NDT, the footprint
parameters, and the FPI-6. We have only evaluated the
dominant foot. However, asymmetries could be found
between the dominant foot and the nondominant foot60
and could affect the results of the research. Another
limitation is that the results of this research were from
individuals who were healthy, and they cannot be
generalized to individuals with normal and high MLAs.
370 Physical Therapy Volume 99 Number 3 2019
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
Evaluating the Medial Arch in People With Low Arch
Especially important is the high MLA, which is a less
exible structure61,62 and which is related to several
injuries.1,1115 Further research should focus on a higher
MLA.
In addition, the examiner bias needs to be considered. The
NDT is a test related to the level of experience of the
testers29,39 and has shown less reliability in inexpert
raters.29 A previous experience is needed to locate the
navicular tuberosity40 and place the subtalar joint in a
neutral position.39
Conclusion
From our research ndings, in people with a low MLA, the
NDT showed signicant correlations with the footprint
parameters, being moderate for the AA and CSI and
excellent for the SI. In addition, an excellent correlation
was found between the NDT and the FPI-6. All of the
evaluated parameters showed high intrarater reliability
and interrater reliability. We recommend the use of the
NDT as the rst choice for examining foot posture in
individuals with a low MLA.
Author Contributions
Concept/idea/research design: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, C.B. Martínez-Cepa,
J.A. Martín-Urrialde, A. Gómez-Conesa
Writing: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, C.B. Martínez-Cepa, A. Gómez-Conesa
Data collection: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, C.B. Martínez-Cepa, J.A. Martín-Urrialde
Data analysis: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, J.A. Martín-Urrialde, A. Gómez-Conesa
Project management: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, C.B. Martínez-Cepa,
A. Gómez-Conesa
Fund procurement: J.C. Zuil-Escobar
Providing participants: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, J.A. Martín-Urrialde
Providing facilities/equipment: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, C.B. Martínez-Cepa,
J.A. Martín-Urrialde, A. Gómez-Conesa
Providing institutional liaisons: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, A. Gómez-Conesa
Clerical/secretarial support: J.C. Zuil-Escobar, C.B. Martínez-Cepa
Consultation (including review of manuscript before submitting):
J.C. Zuil-Escobar, C.B. Martínez-Cepa, J.A. Martín-Urrialde, A.
Gómez-Conesa
Ethics Approval
The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Centro de
Estudios Universitarios San Pablo University.
Funding
There are no funders to report.
Disclosure
The authors completed the ICJME Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts
of Interest. They reported no conflicts of interest.
DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzy149
References
1Menz HB, Dufour AB, Riskowski JL, Hillstrom HJ, Hannan
MT. Association of planus foot posture and pronated foot
function with foot pain: the Framingham foot study. Arthritis
Care Res. 2013;65:1991–1999.
2Jonely H, Brismée JM, Sizer PS Jr, James Cr. Relationships
between clinical measures of static foot posture and plantar
pressure during static standing and walking. Clin Biomech.
2011;26:873–879.
3Cote KP, Brunett ME, Gansneder BM, Shultz SJ. Effects of
pronated and supinated foot postures on static and dynamic
postural stability. J Athl Train. 2005;40:41–46.
4Donatelli R. Normal biomechanics of the foot and ankle. J
Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1985;7:91–95.
5Nguyen AD, Boling MC, Levine B, Shultz SJ. Relationships
between lower extremity alignment and the quadriceps angle.
Clin J Sport Med. 2009;19:201–206.
6Tiberio D. The effect of excessive subtalar joint pronation on
patellofemoral mechanics: a theoretical model. JOrthop
Sports Phys Ther. 1987;9:160–165.
7Shultz SJ, Dudley WN, Kong Y. Identifying multiplanar knee
laxity proles and associated physical characteristics. JAthl
Train. 2012;47:159–169.
8Pinto RZ, Souza TR, Trede RG, Kirkwood RN, Figueiredo EM,
Fonseca ST. Bilateral and unilateral increases in calcaneal
eversion affect pelvic alignment in standing position. Man
Ther. 2008;13:513–519.
9Chuter V, Spink M, Searle A, Ho A. The effectiveness of shoe
insoles for the prevention and treatment of low back pain: a
systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled
trials. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2004;15:140.
10 Snook AG. The relationship between excessive pronation as
measured by navicular drop and isokinetic strength of the
ankle musculature. Foot Ankle Int. 2001;22:234–240.
11 Moen MH, Bongers T, Bakker EW, et al. Risk factors and
prognostic indicators for medial tibial stress syndrome. Scan J
Med Sci Sports. 2012;22:34–39.
12 Newman P, Witchalls J, Waddington G, Adams R. Risk factors
associated with medial tibial stress syndrome in runners: a
systematic review and meta-analysis. Open Access J Sports
Med. 2013;4:229–241.
13 Barton CJ, Bonanno D, Levinger P, Menz HB. Foot and ankle
characteristics in patellofemoral pain syndrome: a case
control and reliability study. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther.
2010;40:286–296.
14 Mølgaard C, Rathleff MS, Simonsen O. Patellofemoral pain
syndrome and its association with hip, ankle, and foot
function in 16- to 18-year-old high school students: a
single-blind case-control study. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc.
2011;101:215–222.
15 Hertel J, Dorfman JH, Braham RA. Lower extremity
malalignments and anteriorcruciate ligament injury history. J
Sports Sci Med. 2004;3:220–225.
16 Razeghi M, Batt ME. Foot type classication: a critical review
of current methods. Gait Posture. 2002;15:282–291.
17 Staheli LT, Chew DE, Corbett M. The longitudinal arch: a
survey of eight hundred and eighty-two feet in normal
children and adults. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1987;69:426–428.
18 Forriol F, Pascaul J. Footprint analysis between three and
seventeen years of age. Foot Ankle. 1990;11:101–104.
19 Urry SR, Wearing SC. A comparison of footprint indexes
calculated from ink and electronic footprints. J Am Podiatr
Med Assoc. 2001;91:203–209.
20 Xiong S, Goonetilleke RS, Witana CP, Weerasinghe TW, Au
EY. Foot arch characterization: a review, a new metric, and a
comparison. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2010;100:14–24.
21 Brody D. Techniques in the evaluation and treatment of the
injured runner. Orthop Clin North Am. 1982;13:542–558.
22 Redmond AC, Crosbie J, Ouvrier RA. Development and
validation of a novel rating system for scoring standing foot
posture: the Foot Posture Index. Clin Biomech. 2006;21:89–98.
23 Evans AM, Copper AW, Scharfbillig RW, Scutter SD, Williams
MT. Reliability of the Foot Posture Index and traditional
2019 Volume 99 Number 3 Physical Therapy 371
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
Evaluating the Medial Arch in People With Low Arch
measures of foot position. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc.
2003;93:203–213.
24 Morrison SC, Ferrari J. Inter-rater reliability of the Foot
Posture Index (FPI-6) in the assessment of the paediatric foot.
J Foot Ankle Res. 2009;2:26.
25 Redmond AC, Crane YZ, Menz HB. Normative values for the
Foot Posture Index. J Foot Ankle Res. 2008;1:6.
26 Nakhaee Z, Rahimi A, Abaee M, Rezasoltani A, Kalantari KK.
The relationship between the height of the medial
longitudinal arch (MLA) and the ankle and knee injuries in
professional runners. Foot. 2008;18:84–90.
27 Hargrave MD, Carcia CR, Gansneder BM, Shultz SJ. Subtalar
pronation does not inuence impact forces or rate of loading
during a single-leg landing. J Athl Train. 2003;38:18–23.
28 Hoffman M, Schrader J, Applegate T, Koceja D. Unilateral
postural control of the functionally dominant and
nondominant extremities of healthy subjects. J Athl Train.
1998;33:319–322.
29 Shultz SJ, Nguyen AD, Windley TC, Kulas AS, Botic TL,
Beynnond BC. Intratester and intertester reliability of clinical
measures of lower extremity anatomic characteristics:
implications for multicenter studies. Clin J Sport Med.
2006;16:155–161.
30 Queen RB, Mall NA, Hardaker WM, Nunley JA 2nd. Describing
the medial longitudinal arch using footprint indices and a
clinical grading system. Foot Ankle Int. 2007;28:456–462.
31 De Vet H, Terwee CB, Ostelo RW, Beckerman H, Knol DL,
Bouter LM. Minimal changes in health status questionnaires:
distinction between minimally detectable change and
minimally important change. Health Qual Life Outcomes.
2006;4:54.
32 Hiengkaew V, Jitaree K, Chaiyawat P. Minimal detectable
changes of the Berg Balance Scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment
Scale, Timed “Up & Go” Test, gait speeds, and 2-minute walk
test in individuals with chronic stroke with different degrees
of ankle plantarexor tone. Arch Phys Med Rehabil.
2012;93:1201–1208.
33 Portney LG, Watkins MP. Foundations of Clinical Research:
Applications to Practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Prentice Hall; 2000.
34 Landis JR, Koch GG. The measurement of observer agreement
for categorical data. Biometrics. 1997;33:159–174.
35 Qiao J, Xu L, Zhu Z, et al. Inter and intraobserver reliability
assessment of the axial trunk rotation: manual versus
smartphone-aided measurements tools. BMC Musculoskelet
Disord. 2014;15:343.
36 Allen MK, Glasoe WM. Metrecom measurement of navicular
drop in subjects with anterior cruciate ligament injury. JAthl
Train. 2000;35:403–406.
37 Shrader JA, Popovich JM, Jr, Gracey GC, Danoff JV. Navicular
drop measurement in people with rheumatoid arthritis:
interrater and intrarater reliability. Phys Ther.
2005;85:656–664.
38 van der Worp MP, de Wijer A, Staal JB, Nijhuis-van der Sande
MW. Reproducibility of and sex differences in common
orthopaedic ankle and foot tests in runners. BMC
Musculoskelet Disord. 2014;15:171.
39 Levinger P, Menz HB, Fottohabadi MR, Feller JA, Bartlett JR,
Bergman NR. Foot posture in people with medial
compartment knee osteoarthritis. J Foot Ankle Res. 2010;3:29.
40 Vinicombre A, Raspovic A, Menz HB. Reliability of navicular
displacement measurement as a clinical indicator of foot
posture. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2001;91:262–268.
41 Papuga MO, Burke R. The reliability of the associate platinum
digital foot scanner in measuring previously developed
footprint characteristics: a technical note. J Manipulative
Physiol Ther. 2011;34:114–118.
42 Hawes MR, Nachbauer W, Sovak D, Nigg BM. Footprint
parameters as a measure of arch height. Foot Ankle.
1992;13:22–26.
43 Evans AM, Rome K, Peet L. The Foot Posture Index, ankle
lunge test, Beighton scale and the lower limb assessment
score in healthy children: a reliability study. J Foot Ankle Res.
2012;5:1.
44 Cain LE, Nicholson LL, Adams RD, Burns J. Foot morphology
and foot/ankle injury in indoor football. JSciMedSport.
2007;10:311–319.
45 Cornwall MW, McPoil TG, Lebec M, Vicenzino B, Wilson J.
Reliability of the modied Foot Posture Index. J Am Podiatr
Med Assoc. 2008;98:7–13.
46 Scharfbillig R, Evans AM, Copper AW, et al. Criterion
validation of four criteria of the foot posture index. JAm
Podiatr Med Assoc. 2004;94:31–38.
47 Terada M, Wittwer AM, Gribble PA. Intra-rater and inter-rater
reliability of the ve image-based criteria of the Foot Posture
Index-6. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2014;9:187–194.
48 Shiang TY, Lee SH, Lee SJ, Chu WC. Evaluating different
footprint parameters as a predictor of arch height. IEEE Eng
Med Biol Mag. 1998;17:62–66.
49 Menz HB, Munteanu SE. Validity of 3 clinical techniques for
the measurement of static foot posture in older people. J
Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2005;35:479–486.
50 Wearing SC, Grigg NL, Lau HC, Smeathers JE. Footprint-based
estimates of arch structure are confounded by body
composition in adults. JOrthopRes. 2012;30:1351–1354.
51 Wearing SC, Hills AP, Byrne NM, Henning EM, McDonald M.
The arch index: a measure of at or fat feet? Foot Ankle Int.
2004;25:575–581.
52 Aurichio TR, Rebelatto JR, de Castro AP. The relationship
between the body mass index (BMI) and foot posture in
elderly people. Arch Gerontol Geriat. 2011;52:89–92.
53 Billis E, Katsakori E, Kapodistrias C, Kapreli E. Assessment of
foot posture: correlation between different clinical
techniques. Foot. 2007;17:65–72.
54 Brantingham JW, Gilbert JL, Shaik J, Globe G. Sagital plane
blockage of the foot, ankle and hallux and foot alignment:
prevalence and association with low back pain. JChiropr
Med. 2006;5:123–127.
55 Menz HB, Dufour AB, Riskowski JL, Hillstrom HJ, Hannan
MT. Foot posture, foot function and low back pain: the
Framingham Foot Study. Rheumatology (Oxford).
2013;52:2275–2282.
56 Cornwall MW, McPoil TG. Relationship between static foot
posture and foot mobility. J Foot Ankle Res. 2011;18:4.
57 Gilmour JC, Burns Y. The measurement of the medial
longitudinal arch in children. Foot Ankle Int. 2001;22:493–498.
58 Keenan AM, Redmond AC, Horton M, Conaghan PG, Tennant
A. The Foot Posture Index: Rasch analysis of a novel,
foot-specic outcome measure. Arch Phys Med Rehabil.
2007;88:88–93.
59 Hannigan-Dowins KS, Harter RS, Smith GA. Radiographic
validation and reliability of selected clinical measures of
pronation. J Athl Train. 2000;35:12–30.
60 Rokkedal-Lausch T, Lykke M, Hansen MS, Nielsen RO.
Normative values for the Foot Posture Index between right
and left foot: a descriptive study. Gait Posture.
2013;38:843–846.
61 Subotnick SI. The biomechanics of running: implications for
the prevention of foot injuries. Sports Med. 1985;2:
144–153.
62 Di Caprio F, Bdua R, Mosca M, Calabrò A, Giannini S. Foot
and lower limb diseases in runners: assessment of risk
factors. Sports Sci Med. 2010;9:587–596.
372 Physical Therapy Volume 99 Number 3 2019
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/99/3/364/5233837 by guest on 23 July 2020
... Recently, studies correlating FPI-6 with radiographic measurements have also been conducted. Previous studies have primarily focused on elderly asymptomatic subjects, with an average age of 78.6 years, or have been conducted in specific populations such as children with flatfoot or adults with low arches [13,15,16]. According to Menz and Munteanu, in elderly asymptomatic subjects, the FPI demonstrated weaker correlations with radiographic parameters [13]. ...
... According to Menz and Munteanu, in elderly asymptomatic subjects, the FPI demonstrated weaker correlations with radiographic parameters [13]. In contrast, in children with flatfoot, representative radiographic parameters such as the lateral talofirst metatarsal angle and calcaneal pitch were significantly correlated with the FPI-6 [15], whereas in adults with low arches, the arch angle was reported to correlate well with the FPI-6 [16]. However, there is a lack of studies that include both asymptomatic individuals and patients with various foot and ankle pathologies as study participants. ...
... First, to assess the reliability of the FPI-6, we included four independent raters with varying levels of experience: two physical therapists with different years of clinical experience, as well as a medical student and a junior orthopedic resident with a relatively lower amount of experience. While previous studies have also examined the reliability of the FPI-6, they were predominantly conducted by a single clinician or podiatrist [13,15], or involved only two physical therapists, graduate-level students, or athletic trainers, respectively [10,16,28]. By incorporating raters with diverse levels of expertise, our study provides insight into how FPI-6 scores may vary when applied in real clinical settings. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background/Objectives: The foot posture index (FPI-6) is a practical clinical tool for evaluating standing foot posture using six specific criteria. Although widely used, its reliability and correlation with radiographic parameters remain uncertain. This study aimed to assess the inter-rater reliability of the FPI-6, in both asymptomatic individuals and patients with foot and ankle symptoms, and to examine its correlation with radiographic measurements. Methods: We included 40 asymptomatic male volunteers (group A) and 60 symptomatic patients (group B). Four raters independently assessed the FPI-6 scores, and inter-rater reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Radiographic parameters included the talocalcaneal angle (TCA) on anteroposterior (AP) and lateral views, talonavicular coverage angle (TNCA), AP talo-first metatarsal angle (TMA), hindfoot alignment angle (HAA), calcaneal pitch angle (CPA), and Meary’s angle (MA). Correlations between the FPI-6 and radiographic measurements were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation (r). Results: The FPI-6 showed good to excellent inter-rater reliability in both groups, with higher consistency in group B and among experienced raters. The total FPI-6 score significantly correlated with TNCA (r = 0.665), AP TMA (r = 0.453), lateral TCA (r = 0.369), MA (r = 0.570), and HAA (r = −0.773) (all p < 0.001). Group B demonstrated overall stronger correlations between the FPI-6 and radiographic measurements compared to group A (TNCA: 0.664 vs. 0.258; AP TMA: 0.542 vs. 0.139; lateral TCA: 0.492 vs. −0.101; MA: 0.544 vs. 0.172; and HAA: −0.712 vs. −0.374). Conclusions: With careful application, the FPI-6 is a reliable and valid tool for clinical assessment of foot posture, especially in settings without immediate access to radiographs.
... With regard to the intra-rater reliability of the NDT and LTrPs diagnosis, a testrest was carried out, with a period of 48 h between assessments [50,51]; the rater was a physiotherapist with 20 years' experience. ...
... In this study, the intra-rater reliability for the NDT was excellent in both the control and high MLA groups. Good to excellent reliability, both intra-rater [23,25,50,56,57] and inter-rater [23,25,50,51,56], has been demonstrated previously. In participants with a low foot MLA, the intra-rater reliability for the NDT was also excellent [51]. ...
... Good to excellent reliability, both intra-rater [23,25,50,56,57] and inter-rater [23,25,50,51,56], has been demonstrated previously. In participants with a low foot MLA, the intra-rater reliability for the NDT was also excellent [51]. The intra-rater reliability of the LTrP diagnosis was excellent (0.828-1). ...
Article
Full-text available
Background: The objective was to evaluate the prevalence of latent trigger points (LTrPs) in lower limb muscles in participants with a high medial longitudinal arch (MLA) of the foot compared to controls. Methods: Participants with a navicular drop test of 4–9 mm were included in the control group; the high MLA group included navicular drop test values of ≤4 mm. The presence of LTrPs was assessed by palpation techniques. The muscles evaluated were medial gastrocnemius (LTrP1), lateral gastrocnemius (LTrP2), soleus (LTrP1), peroneus longus, peroneus brevis, tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, flexor digitorum longus, rectus femoris, vastus medialis (LTrP1 and LTrP2), and the vastus lateralis of the quadriceps (LTrP1 and LTrP2). Results: Thirty-seven participants with high MLA and thirty-seven controls were included in the study. Twenty-nine (78.4%) participants in the high MLA group had at least 1 LTrP, compared to twenty-three (62.2%) in the control group. No statistical difference (p < 0.05) was found in the total number of LTrPs between groups (4.46 ± 3.78 vs. 3.24 ± 3.85). There were more participants (p < 0.05) with LTrPs in the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, and vastus lateralis (LTrP1 and LTrP2) in the high MLA group than in the control group. Conclusion: Although no differences were found in the number of total LTrPs between groups, the prevalence was statistically significantly higher in the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, and vastus lateralis of the participants with high MLA of the foot.
... A reduction in the height of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) is associated with alterations in lower limb alignment, such as increased subtalar pronation, tibial internal torsion, internal rotation of the tibia, greater knee hyperextension (genu recurvatum), anterior knee laxity, pelvic forward tilt (anteversion), and curvature of the lower spine (lumbar lordosis). The height of the MLA can influence muscular activation [6]. ...
... Therefore, a crucial aspect of an effective treatment approach is early screening and assessment of foot posture [7]. Early assessment of foot posture and its impact can enhance athletic performance and mitigate musculoskeletal issues [6]. Additionally, individuals with flat feet have been observed to experience quicker fatigue in their feet [9]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction: A functional deformity known as an over-pronated foot primarily impacts the kinematic chain of the entire body during activities that involve running and require bearing weight dynamically including moments when the foot makes contact with the ground. Over-pronated feet put runners at higher risk of injury, presumably due to increased torque at the lower limb. Aim: The study aimed to investigate how overpronated feet correlate with both static and dynamic balance in runners. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. 108 runners with over-pronated feet aged between 18-30 years were tested. The study utilized the Navicular Drop test to assess the medial longitudinal arch. Additionally, it employed the modified Star Excursion Balance Test to evaluate dynamic balance, the Stork Stand Test for static balance, and the Foot Posture Index to assess the over-pronation of the feet. The study analyzed the relationship between overpronated feet in runners and their static and dynamic balance using the Spearman correlation method. Results: For static balance, a moderate negative correlation was found with both FPI and ND. For dynamic balance, a weak negative correlation was found with both FPI and ND. Also, a strong positive correlation was found between the FPI and ND. Conclusion: Static and Dynamic balance was significantly correlated with over-pronated feet among runners.
... The participants stood on the floor to measure the navicular drop, and the navicular tuberosity was marked. The foot was everted and inverted until the talus was centrally positioned to determine the subtalar neutral position [30]. The distance between the navicular tuberosity and the floor was measured in the subtalar neutral and relaxed positions. ...
... For ankle muscle strength, the strength ratios of the evertor to invertor and dorsiflexor muscles were collected. The navicular drop was defined as the difference between the neutral and relaxed subtalar positions [30]. For RCSP, calcaneal eversion and inversion were collected as positive and negative values, respectively. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background Ankle injuries in parcel delivery workers (PDWs) are most often caused by trips. Ankle sprains have high recurrence rates and are associated with chronic ankle instability (CAI). This study aimed to develop, determine, and compare the predictive performance of statistical machine learning models to classify PDWs with and without CAI using postural control, ankle range of motion, ankle joint muscle strength, and anatomical deformity variables. Methods 244 PDWs who had worked in parcel delivery for more than 6 months were screened for eligibility. Thirteen predictors were included in the study: 12 numeric (age, body mass index, work duration, the number of balance retrials eyes-closed single-limb stance, Y-balance test, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, lunge angle, strength ratio of the evertor in plantar flexion and neutral position to the invertor, ankle dorsiflexor strength, navicular drop, and resting calcaneal stance position) and one categorical (success of the eyes-closed single-limb stance). Five machine learning algorithms, including LASSO logistic regression, Extreme Gradient boosting machine, support vector machine, Naïve Bayes machine, and random forest–were trained. Results The support vector machine and random forest models confirmed good predictive performance in the training and test datasets, respectively, for PDWs. For the Shapley Additive Explanations, among the five machine learning models, the variables entered into three or more models were low ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, low lunge angle, high body mass index, old age, a high number of balance retrials of the eyes-closed single-limb stance, and low strength ratio of the evertor in the neutral position to the invertor. Conclusion Our approach produced machine learning models to classify PDWs with and without CAI and confirmed good predictive performance in PDWs.
... The two evaluation methods are often used: the body surface somatometry is often used as a quick and simple evaluation method, while the radiographic morphometry is often used in medical situations because it allows more detailed observation, despite the risk of radiation exposure. There have been many studies on the relationship, validity, and reliability of body surface somatometry and radiographic morphometry, and our team has reported variations among the evaluation methods in terms of correlation [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. However, there were risks of errors in the body surface and radiographic image evaluation methods due to the degree of skill in palpation techniques, the influence of soft tissues, and errors in the measurement points of bone indices, respectively [17,18]. ...
Article
Full-text available
The major methods of evaluating the foot arch in clinical practice in patients with foot deformities are medial longitudinal arch measurement using body surface somatometry and radiographic morphometry. Although these methods are widely used, they are considered problematic in terms of differences in scores between the methods. In this study, we developed a new geometric shape analysis method for the bony arrangement of the foot using the two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (2D-FFT), which incorporates mathematical anatomy using x-ray radiographs. Lateral radiographs of the foot bones were obtained using ImageJ2 provided by the National Institutes of Health. The 2D-FFT images show the characteristic directional power spectrum extending from low to high frequencies in the first and third quadrants on the normal, low and high arched foot respectively. The current method of reflecting the bone arrangement status of the metatarsal and tarsal bones may have the potential to establish a new radiographic evaluation method for assessing abnormal foot–bone alignment. As a result, the foot bone 2D-FFT method can be useful in assessing the medial longitudinal arch and predicting the prognosis of these patients.
... Therefore, there is a special test called the navicular drop test in which the anatomical position of the os naviculare is analyzed to evaluate the LMA. 21,32 In the current study, no difference was observed between the groups in the volume and superficial area data of the os naviculare. Considering these data, we can say that os naviculare is not the primary responsible for pes planus caused by collapse of the LMA arch. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background Flatfoot (pes planus) is a decrease or loss of longitudinal medial arch height. The cause of symptomatic flatfoot occurring in adolescents is still unclear. In this study, the relationship between adolescent pes planus and foot bone shape was investigated. For this purpose, the volume and superficial area data of the foot bones of adolescent individuals with flatfoot deformity and individuals without any foot deformity were compared. Methods Between September 2022 and June 2023, 30 individuals with adolescent pes planus with a medial arch angle greater than 145 degrees and 30 individuals without any foot deformity were included in the study. Computed tomography (CT) images of the participants’ feet were obtained with a General Electric brand IQ model 32 detector CT device with a section thickness of 0.625 mm in accordance with the bone protocol. Using the 3D Slicer program on CT images, foot bones were segmented and the volume and surface area ratios of each foot bone were determined. Results Cuneiforme mediale and cuneiforme intermediale volume ratios in individuals with flatfoot deformity decreased by 14% and 24%, respectively, compared with the control group ( P <0.05). Cuneiforme mediale and cuneiforme intermediale superficial area ratios were found to be 10% and 30% lower in the flatfoot group compared with the control group, respectively ( P <0.05). There was no difference in the volume and superficial area ratios of other foot bones between the groups ( P >0.05). Conclusions The study results suggest that symptomatic adolescent flatfoot deformity may be associated with developmental anomalies of the os cuneiforme mediale and os cuneiforme intermedium.
Article
Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of medial longitudinal arch mobility of paretic foot on balance and gait, and muscle activity in stroke patients. Methods Twelve stroke patients who were hospitalized at B hospital in Gyeonggido during the period from January 2022 to February 2022 were enrolled in this study. The subjects were divided into the medial longitudinal arch mobility training group of the paretic foot (n = 6) and the conventional physical therapy group (n = 6). The intervention was performed for 30 minutes a days, 5 times a weeks, and two weeks. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed pre and postevaluated using the 10M Walk Test(10MWT), Berg Balance Scale(BBS), the BioRescue Platform(BRP) and the surface ElectroMyoGraphy(sEMG). Results As the result of the medial longitudinal arch mobility training on the paretic foot showed significantly improved balance and gait after exercise than before exercise in 10MWT, BBS and BRP. Conclusion Medial longitudinal arch mobility training of the paretic foot was effective in improving balance and gait speed through weightbearing on the paretic side in hemiplegic patients with stroke.
Article
Amaç: Ülkemizde gerçekleştirilen lisansüstü tezlerde pes planusun belirlenmesinde kullanılan tanı kriterlerinin ve katılımcılardan elde edilen parametrelerin incelenmesi amacıyla planlandı. Yöntem: Yükseköğretim Kurulu Ulusal Tez Merkezi veri tabanında “pes planus, düztaban, kalkaneovalgus, pronasyon, arka ayak eversiyonu/valgusu, düşük ark, pes planovalgus, içe basma, ayak postürü, medial longitudinal ark, naviküler yükseklik, naviküler düşme, ayak izi, pedobarografi” anahtar kelimeleri kullanılarak 147 lisansüstü çalışmaya ulaşıldı. Dahil edilme kriterlerini sağlayan 117 çalışma incelendi. Bulgular: Pes planusu belirlemek için en sık kullanılan yöntemler Naviküler Düşme Testi (NDT), Ayak Postür İndeksi (APİ) ve ayak izi yöntemiydi. NDT’nin kriteri sıklıkla 10 mm ve üzeri ile 15 mm ve üzeri, APİ kriteri ise çoğunlukla 6 ve üzeriydi. Ayak izi yönteminde genellikle Staheli Ark İndeksi, ark İndeksi ve Chippaux-Smirak İndeksi kullanılmıştı. Pes planuslu bireylerin değerlendirildiği parametreler sıklıkla denge, pedobarografi, kas kuvveti, ayak fonksiyonu, yaşam kalitesiydi. Sonuç: Pes planusun belirlenmesinde kullanılan tanı kriterleri açısından bir fikir birliği bulunmadığı ancak genellikle literatürde sık kullanılan yöntemlerin tercih edildiği görüldü. Literatürde geçerli ve güvenilir kabul edilen ölçüm yöntemlerin tartışılan avantaj ve dezavantajları ışığında klinik karar vermenin ayrıca ölçüm hatalarının etkisini en aza indirmek için farklı test sonuçlarının birleştirilmesinin doğru bir yaklaşım olabileceği değerlendirildi.
Article
Full-text available
Context: In Mexico’s rural towns, it is essential to generate a culture of studying the prevalence of flat feet in children aged 3 to 5, whose arch is still in development and can be corrected. By means of a computer application, statistical bar graph and correlation studies via linear regression can validate the results obtained regarding the categorization of infants’ footprint type, which are acquired through the Hernández Corvo index (HCI), Clarke’s angle protocol (CA), the Staheli index (SI), the Chippaux index (CI), and the body mass index (BMI). Methods: A statistical analysis of the plantar footprint of 95 infants in a rural region of Mexico was carried out, employing a computational technique together with a photo-podoscope. Footprint images were acquired, processed, and classified. The footprint type was categorized with respect to the HCI, CA, and the Staheli-Chippaux index (SCI). The footprint distribution was validated via the linear regression method. Results: We evidenced a prevalence of flat foot of 54,7 % in relation to HCI, 58,9 % in relation to CA, and 61,05 % in relation to SCI, where the male gender was shown to be more susceptible (up to 28, 32, and 33 cases, respectively). The best prediction was obtained using the SI and the CI: 90,7 and 87,0 % for the right and left feet, with a positive increase. No dependence on body composition was observed. Conclusions: The diagnosis of the type of footstep, in its normal, cavus, and flat categories, shows the prevalence of flat feet among infants aged 3 to 5, with at least 28 cases, mostly male and without dependence on weight. Although it is difficult to perform plantar footprint diagnoses in the rural communities of Mexico, this statistical study highlights the importance of monitoring foot development in preschool infants with the advantages and practicality of computational techniques.
Article
Full-text available
Background Scoliogauge, has been developed for the measurement of ATR on iPhone smartphones. This study was to evaluate the reliability for the smartphone-aided ATR measurement method and to compare its reliability with that of the manual method. Methods Sixty-four AIS patients with single thoracic or lumbar curve participated in this study. Of these patients, thirty-two patients had main thoracic scoliosis while other thirty-two had main thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis. Two spine surgeons performed the measurements with Scoliometer and Scoliogauge. The Scoliogauge measurements were conducted on an iPhone 4 smartphone. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 2-way mixed model on absolute agreement was used to analyze the reliability categorized according to regions: thoracic or lumbar, and Cobb angles: <20 degrees and >40 degrees. ICC < 0.40 is considered as poor, 0.40–0.59 as fair, 0.60–0.74 as good, and 0.75–1.00 as excellent. Results The overall intraobserver variability was 0.954 and the overall interobserver variability was 0.943 for the scoliometer set, whereas the intraobserver variability was 0.965 and interobserver variability was 0.964 for the scoliogauge set. Both the intraobserver and interobserver ICCs reached the excellent value in the 2 sets for both observers. The mean Cobb angle of thoracic curves in patients with main thoracic scoliosis was similar to that of lumbar curves in those with main thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis (35.7 degrees vs. 36.1 degrees). The intraobserver and interobserver reliability was similar between two groups (thoracic vs. lumbar) in the 2 sets. There were 21 patients having Cobb angles < 20 degrees, while 20 patients >40 degrees. The intraobserver and interobserver reliability was better in severe curve(>40 degrees) group. Conclusion Smartphone-aided measurement for ATR showed excellent reliability, and the reliability of measurement with either scoliometer or scoliogauge could be influenced by Cobb angle that reliability was better for curves with larger Cobb angles.
Article
Full-text available
Background: For future etiologic cohort studies in runners it is important to identify whether (hyper)pronation of the foot, decreased ankle joint dorsiflexion (AJD) and the degree of the extension of the first Metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP1) are risk factors for running injuries and to determine possible sex differences.These parameters are frequently determined with the navicular drop test (NDT) Stance and Single Limb-Stance, the Ankle Joint Dorsiflexion-test, and the extension MTP1-test in a healthy population. The aim of this clinimetric study was to determine the reproducibility of these three orthopaedic tests in runners, using minimal equipment in order to make them applicable in large cohort studies. Furthermore, we aimed to determine possible sex differences of these tests. Methods: The three orthopaedic tests were administered by two sports physiotherapists in a group of 42 (22 male and 20 female) recreational runners. The intra-class correlation (ICC) for interrater and intrarater reliability and the standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated. Bland and Altman plots were used to determine the 95% limits of agreements (LOAs). Furthermore, the difference between female and male runners was determined. Results: The ICC's of the NDT were in the range of 0.37 to 0.45, with a SEM in the range of 2.5 to 5 mm. The AJD-test had an ICC of 0.88 and 0.86 (SEM 2.4° and 8.7°), with a 95% LOA of -6.0° to 6.3° and -5.3° to 7.9°, and the MTP1-test had an ICC of 0.42 and 0.62 (SEM 34.4° and 9.9°), with a 95% LOA of -30.9° to 20.7° and -20° to 17.8° for the interrater and intrarater reproducibility, respectively.Females had a significantly (p<0.05) lower navicular drop score and higher range of motion in extension of the MTP1, but no sex differences were found for ankle dorsiflexion (p ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: The reproducibility for the AJD test in runners is good, whereas that of the NDT and extension MTP1 was moderate or low. We found a difference in NDT and MTP1 mobility between female and male runners, however this needs to be established in a larger study with more reliable test procedures.
Article
Full-text available
Low back pain (LBP) is a significant public health problem in Western industrialised countries and has been reported to affect up to 80% of adults at some stage in their lives. It is associated with high health care utilisation costs, disability, work loss and restriction of social activities. An intervention of foot orthoses or insoles has been suggested to reduce the risk of developing LBP and be an effective treatment strategy for people suffering from LBP. However, despite the common usage of orthoses and insoles, there is a lack of clear guidelines for their use in relation to LBP. The aim of this review is to investigate the effectiveness of foot orthoses and insoles in the prevention and treatment of non specific LBP. A systematic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library was conducted in May 2013. Two authors independently reviewed and selected relevant randomised controlled trials. Quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool and the Downs and Black Checklist. Meta-analysis of study data were conducted where possible. Eleven trials were included: five trials investigated the treatment of LBP (n = 293) and six trials examined the prevention of LBP (n = 2379) through the use of foot orthoses or insoles. Meta-analysis showed no significant effect in favour of the foot orthoses or insoles for either the treatment trials (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.74, CI 95%: -1.5 to 0.03) or the prevention trials (relative risk (RR) 0.78, CI 95%: 0.50 to 1.23). There is insufficient evidence to support the use of insoles or foot orthoses as either a treatment for LBP or in the prevention of LBP. The small number, moderate methodological quality and the high heterogeneity of the available trials reduce the strength of current findings. Future research should concentrate on identification of LBP patients most suited to foot orthoses or insole treatment, as there is some evidence that trials structured along these lines have a greater effect on reducing LBP.
Article
Full-text available
Background Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) affects 5%–35% of runners. Research over the last 40 years investigating a range of interventions has not established any clearly effective management for MTSS that is better than prolonged rest. At the present time, understanding of the risk factors and potential causative factors for MTSS is inconclusive. The purpose of this review is to evaluate studies that have investigated various risk factors and their association with the development of MTSS in runners. Methods Medical research databases were searched for relevant literature, using the terms “MTSS AND prevention OR risk OR prediction OR incidence”. Results A systematic review of the literature identified ten papers suitable for inclusion in a meta-analysis. Measures with sufficient data for meta-analysis included dichotomous and continuous variables of body mass index (BMI), ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, navicular drop, orthotic use, foot type, previous history of MTSS, female gender, hip range of motion, and years of running experience. The following factors were found to have a statistically significant association with MTSS: increased hip external rotation in males (standard mean difference [SMD] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29–1.04, P<0.001); prior use of orthotics (risk ratio [RR] 2.31, 95% CI 1.56–3.43, P<0.001); fewer years of running experience (SMD −0.74, 95% CI −1.26 to −0.23, P=0.005); female gender (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.15–2.54, P=0.008); previous history of MTSS (RR 3.74, 95% CI 1.17–11.91, P=0.03); increased body mass index (SMD 0.24, 95% CI 0.08–0.41, P=0.003); navicular drop (SMD 0.26, 95% CI 0.02–0.50, P=0.03); and navicular drop >10 mm (RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.00–3.96, P=0.05). Conclusion Female gender, previous history of MTSS, fewer years of running experience, orthotic use, increased body mass index, increased navicular drop, and increased external rotation hip range of motion in males are all significantly associated with an increased risk of developing MTSS. Future studies should analyze males and females separately because risk factors vary by gender. A continuum model of the development of MTSS that links the identified risk factors and known processes is proposed. These data can inform both screening and countermeasures for the prevention of MTSS in runners.
Article
Full-text available
The present study analyzed the impact of the running style and the morphologic and functional characteristics of the foot on the incidence of non-traumatic foot and lower limb disorders in runners. From January 2004 to December 2008, we prospectively examined 166 runners, both recreational and competitive, involved in various running specialities, from three athletics clubs in Northern Italy. They were 86 males and 80 females, with a mean age of 31.1 ± 12.2 years. We considered nontraumatic foot and lower limb diseases reported during the follow-up period, which resulted in a minimum sport rest of two weeks. The incidence of these diseases was examined with respect to general characteristics, type of activity, foot morphology, running style. 59% of athletes reported one or more diseases. The most common were plantar fasciitis (31% of athletes) and Achilles tendinopathies (24%). Overall, the more prone to injuries were males (60.9% of cases), competitive runners (70.9%), middle-distance runners (51.7%), and those using spike shoes (80.3%). Age, body weight and height were not important predictors of running injuries in general. Considering the morphological characteristics of the foot, the most prone to injury were the varus hindfoot (87.5% of cases) and the cavus arch (71.4%). In conclusion, a deep knowledge of the factors predisposing runners to specific diseases, often chronic and highly debilitating for the athlete, may allow implementing effective therapeutic measures.
Article
Full-text available
Objective: Abnormal foot posture and function have been proposed as possible risk factors for low back pain, but this has not been examined in detail. The objective of this study was to explore the associations of foot posture and foot function with low back pain in 1930 members of the Framingham Study (2002-05). Methods: Low back pain, aching or stiffness on most days was documented on a body chart. Foot posture was categorized as normal, planus or cavus using static weight-bearing measurements of the arch index. Foot function was categorized as normal, pronated or supinated using the centre of pressure excursion index derived from dynamic foot pressure measurements. Sex-specific multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations of foot posture, foot function and asymmetry with low back pain, adjusting for confounding variables. Results: Foot posture showed no association with low back pain. However, pronated foot function was associated with low back pain in women [odds ratio (OR) = 1.51, 95% CI 1.1, 2.07, P = 0.011] and this remained significant after adjusting for age, weight, smoking and depressive symptoms (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.07, 2.05, P = 0.018). Conclusion: These findings suggest that pronated foot function may contribute to low back symptoms in women. Interventions that modify foot function, such as orthoses, may therefore have a role in the prevention and treatment of low back pain.
Article
The Foot Posture Index-6 (FPI-6) is considered a simple quantification tool to assess static foot alignment. Palpation of the foot is required for assessment of one of the six criteria that comprise the FPI-6; the remaining five criteria may be evaluated using still-frame photographs. Using only the image-based criteria may allow multiple clinicians to evaluate large groups of patients quickly. Reliability using only these five image-based criteria has not been established. The purposes of the current study were to establish the inter- and intra-rater reliability using five image-based criteria from the Foot Posture Index-6 (FPI-6) as well as to examine the agreement between the raters in identifying foot type using the composite five FPI scores. Forty participants (23 females, 17 males; 23.67 ± 8.49 years; 64.59 ± 14.43 kg; 166.07 ± 11.79 cm) volunteered for this study. An investigator took three photos with a digital camera of the medial longitudinal arch, posterior ankle, and of the talonavicular joint approximately 45° from the posterior calcaneus for both right and left feet. Two investigators assessed the five image-based criteria of the FPI-6 for both feet of 40 participants on three occasions separated by a day. Inter-and intra-rater reliability were assessed with Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC3,2). The amount of agreement for classification of foot posture type between the two raters was assessed with Cohen's kappa coefficient. Significance was set a priori at P < 0.05. The inter-rater reliability was poor to moderate for all three sessions (ICC3,2 = 0.334-0.634). For the foot posture classification, the amount of agreement between two raters was poor for left (κ= 0.12) and right (κ= 0.19) feet. The intra-rater reliability was excellent for left (ICC3,2=0.956) and right feet (ICC3,2=0.959). Excellent intra-rater and poor to moderate inter-rater reliability was found using only the five image-based criteria of the FPI-6. However, the classification of foot posture did not improve the amount of agreement between raters. Therefore, caution is needed when interpreting FPI scores from five image-based criteria. 3b.
Article
Objective To examine the associations of foot posture and foot function to foot pain. Methods Data were collected on 3,378 members of the Framingham Study cohort who completed foot examinations in 2002-2008. Foot pain (generalized and at 6 locations) was based on the response to the following question: On most days, do you have pain, aching or stiffness in either foot? Foot posture was categorized as normal, planus, or cavus using static pressure measurements of the arch index. Foot function was categorized as normal, pronated, or supinated using the center of pressure excursion index from dynamic pressure measurements. Sex-specific multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the effect of foot posture and function on generalized and location-specific foot pain, adjusting for age and weight. ResultsPlanus foot posture was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of arch pain in men (odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.01-1.90), while cavus foot posture was protective against ball of foot pain (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.55-1.00) and arch pain (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.48-0.85) in women. Pronated foot function was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of generalized foot pain (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.04-1.56) and heel pain (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.04-2.27) in men, while supinated foot function was protective against hindfoot pain in women (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.55-1.00). Conclusion Planus foot posture and pronated foot function are associated with foot symptoms. Interventions that modify abnormal foot posture and function may therefore have a role in the prevention and treatment of foot pain.
Article
Background: Clinical evaluation of foot posture is necessary for assessing and treating patients with lower extremity dysfunction. Although several studies have explored the reliability and validity of different clinical techniques for the measurement of foot posture, there is limited research in studies investigating whether two or more such techniques correlate with each other. Objectives: To explore the correlations between the valgus and arch index measurements with the measurements of the navicular drop and drift in bipedal and single-leg stance. Methods: Clinical measurements of the valgus index, the arch index, the navicular drop and drift were performed on the left foot of 26 healthy subjects in bipedal and in single-leg stance with 30° knee flexion. Results: The valgus index yielded moderate to strong correlations with the measurement of navicular drop (bipedal: r = 0.657, p < 0.001; single-leg stance: r = 0.613, p = 0.001) and small correlations with navicular drift (bipedal: r = 0.481, p = 0.13; single-leg stance: r = 0.335, p = 0.094). The arch index demonstrated small correlations with the navicular drop and drift in both bipedal and single-leg stance (r = 0.317-0.428, p = 0.115-0.029). Conclusions: Although strong associations were obtained between the valgus index and the navicular drop, all other correlations demonstrated low degrees of association. Further research should explore the association of these clinical measurements in patients with foot/lower limb impairments.