Relationship between foot muscle morphology and severity of pronated foot deformity and foot kinematics during gait: A preliminary study

BackgroundThe morphology of foot muscles that support the medial longitudinal arch differs between normal and pronated feet. The degree to which the difference depends on the severity of the pronated foot deformity is unclear. In the clinical setting, however, to reduce the pronated deformity, muscle-strengthening exercises are performed.Research questionDoes a relationship exist between foot muscle morphology and severity of the pronated foot deformity and foot kinematics during gait?MethodsUsing the six-item foot posture index (FPI-6), 26 study participants were assessed for their foot posture and divided into two groups of 13 participants each based on the FPI-6 score: pronated foot group (with a score of 6–9) and highly pronated foot group (with a score of 10–12). Select foot muscles were scanned with ultrasonography, and muscle thicknesses were measured. The following were the muscles of interest: abductor hallucis, flexor hallucis brevis and longus, flexor digitorum brevis and longus, and peroneus longus. Foot kinematic data during gait was collected using a three-dimensional motion capture system as a dynamic navicular drop.ResultsNo between-group differences were noted for muscle thickness and dynamic navicular drop. However, the abductor hallucis and flexor hallucis brevis thicknesses were correlated with the dynamic navicular drop, but not with the severity of the pronated foot deformity.SignificanceIn individuals with pronated foot deformity, more developed abductor hallucis and flexor hallucis brevis muscles may reduce the dynamic navicular drop that represents the degree of medial longitudinal arch deformation during the stance phase of gait.