Foot muscles and plantar fascia in pes planus

NewsBot · Mar 2, 2014

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Ultrasound evaluation of foot muscles and plantar fascia in pes planus
Salih Angin, Gillian Crofts, Karen J. Mickle, Christopher J. Nester
Gait & Posture; Available online 26 February 2014

Highlights
•We measured muscles and plantar fascia in pes planus using ultrasound.
•Intrinsic muscles and plantar fascia decreased in cross-sectional area and thickness.
•Extrinsic muscles increased in size to compensate intrinsic muscles.
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Background
Multiple intrinsic and extrinsic soft tissue structures that apply forces and support the medial longitudinal arch have been implicated in pes planus. These structures have common functions but their interaction in pes planus is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to compare the cross-sectional area (CSA) and thickness of the intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles and plantar fascia thickness between normal and pes planus feet.
Methods
Forty-nine adults with a normal foot posture and 49 individuals with pes planus feet were recruited from a university population. Images of the flexor digitorum longus (FDL), flexor hallucis longus (FHL), peroneus longus and brevis (PER), flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) and abductor hallucis (AbH) muscles and the plantar fascia were obtained using a Venue 40 ultrasound system with a 5-13 MHz transducer.
Results
The CSA and thickness of AbH, FHB and PER muscles were significantly smaller (AbH -12.8% and -6.8%, FHB -8.9% and -7.6%, PER -14.7% and -10%), whilst FDL (28.3% and 15.2%) and FHL (24% and 9.8%) were significantly larger in the pes planus group. The middle (-10.6%) and anterior (-21.7%) portions of the plantar fascia were thinner in pes planus group.
Conclusion
Greater CSA and thickness of the extrinsic muscles might reflect compensatory activity to support the MLA if the intrinsic foot muscle function has been compromised by altered foot structure. A thinner plantar fascia suggests reduced load bearing, and regional variations in structure and function in feet with pes planus.
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NewsBot · Jan 30, 2018

Contributions of foot muscles and plantar fascia morphology to foot posture
Angin, S, Mickle, KJ and Nester, CJ 201
Gait & Posture . (In Press)

Background: The plantar foot muscles and plantar fascia differ between different foot postures. However, how each individual plantar structure contribute to foot posture has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between static foot posture and morphology of plantar foot muscles and plantar fascia and thus the contributions of these structures to static foot posture.
Methods: A total of 111 participants were recruited, 43 were classified as having pes planus and 68 as having normal foot posture using Foot Posture Index assessment tool. Images from the flexor digitorum longus (FDL), flexor hallucis longus (FHL), peroneus longus and brevis (PER), flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) and abductor hallucis (AbH) muscles, and the calcaneal (PF1), middle (PF2) and metatarsal (PF3) regions of the plantar fascia were obtained using a Venue 40 ultrasound system with a 5–13 MHz transducer.
Results: In order of decreasing contribution, PF3>FHB>FHL>PER>FDB were all associated with FPI and able to explain 69% of the change in FPI scores. PF3 was the highest contributor explaining 52% of increases in FPI score. Decreased thickness was associated with increased FPI score. Smaller cross sectional area (CSA) in FHB and PER muscles explained 20% and 8% of increase in FPI score. Larger CSA of FDB and FHL muscles explained 4% and 14% increase in FPI score respectively.
Conclusion: The medial plantar structures and the plantar fascia appear to be the major contributors to static foot posture. Elucidating the individual contribution of multiple muscles of the foot could provide insight about their role in the foot posture.
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NewsBot · Jun 4, 2018

Fast Six-minute Walking Induced Abductor Hallucis
Muscle Recruitment In Individuals With Flatfoot
Chieh-Ning Huang, Chu-Yuan Chiang, Kuang-Wei Lin,
Wen-Wen Yang, Yun-Chi Chang, Li-Ling Pan, Li-Wei Chou.
Presented at ACSM Mtg, 2018

Purpose: This study examined lower extremity muscle activities before and after sixminute
treadmill walking at highest speeds in individuals with flatfoot. Methods: Eight
individuals with flatfoot (4 women, 4 men, age= 24.8±2.4 years) with no other history
of lower extremity injury in six months and no neurological disease, participated
in this study. Subjects were first screened using subtalar static navicular drop tests.
Surface electromyography (BIOPAC system, USA) of the abductor hallucis muscle
(AbdH), tibia anterior, gastrocnemius, and peroneus longus muscles were recorded
during maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC). Next, three-dimensional
motion capture system (Vicon motion system, UK) was used to assess dynamic
navicular mobility during walking. Subjects were then asked to walk on the treadmill
at their maximal pace for 6 minutes. After walking, the MVIC and dynamic navicular
mobility were assessed again. Median frequency (MedF) of EMG during MVIC was
calculated for both before and after 6-minute walking. Results: Our preliminary
results show substantial increase in the MedF of the AbdH (10.2Hz ± 29.9Hz),
suggesting an increase in motor unit recruitment in AbdH with 6-minute fast treadmill
walking. MedF of tibia anterior was significantly decreased 16.7 ± 11.5Hz after fast
treadmill walking, but no significant change was observed in peroneus longus and
gastrocnemius. Subjects exhibited similar navicular drop before (17.3 ± 5.4 mm) and
after (16.0 ± 5.2 mm) fast treadmill walking. Conclusion: Six-minute fast treadmill
walking induced greater muscle recruitment of the AbdH in individuals with flatfoot.
We infer that the AbdH of flat foot doesn’t function as a dynamic stabilizer during
walking. However, how increased work loads in other lower extremity muscles results
in greater activity of AbdH remains to be investigated. The observation that muscle
activity of AbdH increased when the other extrinsic muscle fatigue indicates that 6
minutes walking can serve as functional training of the intrinsic muscles to support the
medial longitudinal arch.
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