How the three arches of the foot intercorrelate

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Orthopedics
• Podiatry

Background:

• The foot's medial, lateral, and transverse arches are crucial for locomotion, acting as flexible and rigid structures.
• While the arches' effects on lower extremity function are known, quantitative data on their interrelationships is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the intercorrelations among the three main arches of the human foot.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-six participants underwent bilateral weight-bearing lateral radiography of the right foot.
• Measurements included navicular height (NH), medial cuneiform height (MCH), calcaneal inclination angle (CIA), calcaneal-first metatarsal angle (C1MA), cuboid height (CH), and calcaneal-fifth metatarsal angle (C5MA).
• Pearson correlation and independent t-tests were used to analyze relationships between arch variables and gender.

Main Results:

• No significant gender-based differences were found for the measured arch variables.
• Significant moderate to excellent linear correlations were observed between the arch variables.
• The calcaneal inclination angle (CIA) demonstrated the strongest correlations with calcaneal-fifth metatarsal angle (C5MA) and calcaneal-first metatarsal angle (C1MA).

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest that changes in the medial arch's height or deformation can influence the lateral and transverse arches.
• These intercorrelations highlight the interconnectedness of the foot's arch system in maintaining structural integrity and function.