Association Between Calcaneal Inclination Angle and Spinal and Lower Limb Alignment: A Retrospective Radiographic...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomechanical analysis
• Musculoskeletal health

Background:

• The kinetic chain concept highlights the interconnectedness of body segments.
• Foot morphology variations can influence proximal joint and spinal alignment.
• Understanding these relationships is crucial for diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical influence of foot morphology on spinal and lower limb alignment.
• To explore the ascending kinetic chain's effect on posture.
• To identify correlations between foot parameters and overall body alignment.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 100 patient medical records and X-ray data.
• Measurement of key angles: Calcaneal Inclination Angle (CIA), Tibiotalar Tilt Angle (TTA), Tibiotalar Angle (TA), Quadriceps Angle (Q-angle), Pelvic Incidence (PI), Pelvic Tilt (PT), Sacral Slope (SS), and L1-S1 Lordosis (LL).
• Categorization into Pes Planus, Normal, and Pes Cavus subgroups based on CIA, with statistical analysis using ANOVA and Pearson correlation.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in right foot Pelvic Tilt (PT) were observed among foot morphology subgroups.
• Moderate correlations were found between foot Calcaneal Inclination Angle (CIA) and knee's Q-angle.
• Moderate associations were identified between foot CIA and pelvic parameters (PI, PT, SS, LL).

Conclusions:

• Foot morphology exhibits moderate correlations with alignment in the ankle, knee, pelvis, and lumbosacral regions.
• These findings support the clinical relevance of foot structure in posture-related disorders.
• Foot morphology may inform preventive and corrective strategies for musculoskeletal alignment issues.