Selected static foot assessments do not predict medial longitudinal arch motion during running

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Medicine
• Running Science

Background:

• Static foot assessments are commonly used to classify feet for running shoe recommendations.
• The relationship between static foot measures and dynamic arch motion during running is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if selected static foot assessments can predict medial longitudinal arch (MLA) motion during running.
• To evaluate the predictive capability of static foot measures for dynamic MLA deformation and angles.

Main Methods:

• Fifteen physically active males underwent static foot assessments (Foot Posture Index, MLA angle, rearfoot angle).
• Dynamic MLA motion was tracked using motion analysis during barefoot treadmill running.
• Bivariate linear regression analyzed the prediction of MLA deformation and angles from static measures.

Main Results:

• Static foot measures significantly predicted MLA angles at initial contact, midsupport, and toe-off, explaining 41-90% of the variance.
• However, none of the static measures significantly predicted dynamic MLA deformation during the stance phase of running.

Conclusions:

• Static foot assessments do not accurately predict dynamic MLA deformation during running.
• The clinical relevance of static measures for predicting discrete MLA angles during running is questionable.
• Alternative methods are needed to assess the foot for effective running shoe selection.