Which Measuring Method Is Better for Reflecting Subtalar Joint Stiffness?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomechanics
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• A standardized method for measuring subtalar joint motion is lacking.
• Subtalar joint stiffness assessment is crucial for diagnosing and managing foot and ankle pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the AMA and modified McBride methods for measuring subtalar joint motion.
• To determine which method better reflects subtalar joint stiffness.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated intraobserver and interobserver reliability and validity of AMA and modified McBride methods.
• Included a normal group (n=50) and a patient group (n=90) with various hindfoot and ankle pathologies.
• Utilized intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Main Results:

• AMA method showed better intraobserver reproducibility and interobserver reliability in the normal group.
• Both methods demonstrated excellent interobserver reliability (ICC > 0.75) in the hindfoot patient group.
• ROC analysis indicated modified McBride method (AUC: 0.919, 0.813) was superior to AMA method (AUC: 0.715, 0.749) in reflecting subtalar joint stiffness.

Conclusions:

• The modified McBride method exhibits superior validity for measuring subtalar joint stiffness in patients with subtalar joint lesions.
• The modified McBride method is more appropriate than the AMA method for clinical assessment of subtalar joint stiffness in this population.