The jargon of pedal movements

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics and Anatomy
• Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
• Clinical Research Terminology

Background:

• Specialized jargon is common in scientific fields for concise communication.
• Traditional terms for foot and ankle movements like inversion, eversion, pronation, and supination lack uniform definitions.
• This ambiguity leads to significant confusion and difficulty in synthesizing research findings across studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the extent of variation in the definitions of foot motion terms: inversion, eversion, pronation, and supination.
• To assess the interdependencies and usage patterns of these terms within scientific literature and among specialists.

Main Methods:

• Conducted an internet-based survey distributed to biomechanists, clinical anatomists, and podiatrists.
• Performed a parallel survey of scientific articles published over a 10-year period across 16 relevant journals.
• Collected data on how pronation, supination, inversion, and eversion are defined and used.

Main Results:

• Identified at least 18 distinct working definitions for inversion and eversion.
• Found a minimum of 20 different working definitions for pronation and supination.
• Several of the documented definitions were found to be mutually contradictory, highlighting significant inconsistency.

Conclusions:

• Current terminology for describing foot movements is not unambiguously interpretable by specialists.
• This lack of clarity compromises the interpretive value of research reports on foot biomechanics.
• A need for new, standardized terminology is suggested to prevent future confusion in research and clinical practice.