[Study of weight-bearing changes of normal and abnormal feet by frontal tomography (author's transl)]

Roentogenographic examination with emphasis upon frontal tomography was applied to clarify the positional relationship between the calcaneus and talus, and to measure weight-bearing changes of these bones on normal and abnormal feet in frontal plane. studied were conducted on 30 left feet of normal adults, 18 left feet of normal children, and 37 feet of 19 children affected with cerebral palsy, and 19 feet with unilateral or bilateral foot disorders other than cerebral palsy. Statistical analysis of the in patients with diseases results gave the following results. The 30 feet of normal adults were without definite trend for internal or external rotation, medical or lateral shift, though the calcaneus in the sinus tarsi was found to lower to an average extent of 1.68 +/- 0.68mm. The 8 feet of normal children were also without definite trend of rotation or shift. The calcanei of some of children's flat feet with cerbral palsy were found to fluctuate markedly up and down and also medialy and laterally. But the weightbearing change was in most cases with cerebral palsy stayed within normal ranges. The 19 feet with disorders other than cerebral palsy were found to lie within the normal ranges of lowering, rotation and shift. The author's modification of Méary's method was able to be used quantitatively and qualitatively. This method showed that feet with calcaneus varus of calcaneus valgus deviate markedly from the normal feet based in the evidence of average precentage. The analysis by this quantitative method was found to agree well with that by frontal tomography.