Correlation between primary flat foot and lower extremity rotational misalignment in adults

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomechanics
• Radiology

Background:

• Primary symptomatic flatfoot is a common condition affecting adults.
• Understanding its biomechanical characteristics is crucial for effective treatment.
• Rotational abnormalities of the lower limb have been hypothesized as a contributing factor.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence of rotational abnormalities in the lower extremities of adult patients diagnosed with primary symptomatic flatfoot.
• To compare lower limb rotation parameters between patients with flatfoot and healthy control subjects.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study including 24 adult patients with primary symptomatic flatfoot and 30 age/gender-matched controls.
• Weight-bearing upright EOS imaging and 3D reconstructions of lower extremities were utilized.
• Measurements included limb length, hip/knee parameters, and rotational parameters (femoral and tibial torsion, tibiofemoral rotation).

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in coronal or sagittal plane alignment between flatfoot patients and controls.
• Lower limb rotational parameters, including femoral torsion, tibial torsion, and tibiofemoral rotation, showed no significant differences between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Adults with primary symptomatic flatfoot do not exhibit rotational abnormalities of the lower extremities.
• The findings exclude limb rotation as a causative or associated factor in this condition.