Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between medial longitudinal foot arch morphology and lower limb alignment in asymptomatic young adults. Methods: A cross-sectional and 204 healthy adults aged 18-30 years were used to conduct the study. The Type of arch was categorized by the Arch Index and confirmed by the ChippauxSmirak Index, Staheli Index, Foot Posture Index-6 (FPI-6) and Navicular Drop Test. The alignment of the lower limbs was evaluated using standardized goniometric measures of the quadriceps (Q) angle, the tibiofemoral and the rearfoot angle. One-way ANOVA with Bonferonni post-hoc testing was used to compare differences between the groups of flat, normal and high arch. Findings: 54.9% of the participants had normal arches, 29.9% had flat feet, and 15.2% had high arches. The individuals having flat feet had much higher Q-angle (16.9 ± 2.6°), tibiofemoral angle (8.7 ± 2.2°), navicular drop (12.6 ± 2.4 mm), and rearfoot angle (9.1 ± 2.5°) compared to those with normal or high arches (p < 0.001). The moderate positive correlation of navicular drop with Q-angle was r = 0.51 and Arch Index (r = 0.44) and FPI-6 (r = 0.47) were also positively associated. Conclusion: The medial longitudinal arches below were linked to a higher degree of lower limb malalignment, which validated foot arch measurement as a valuable screening method to determine people who may experience biomechanical impairments and possible musculoskeletal trauma.

Keywords: Pes planus, Pes cavus, Foot posture index, Q-angle, Lower-limb alignment