Korean J Sports Med.  2011 Jun;29(1):9-14. 10.5763/kjsm.2011.29.1.9.

Biomechanical Factors Associated with Plantar Fasciitis in Non-obese Patients

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea. birddive@freechal.com

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the biomechanical factors that correlate with plantar fasciitis in non-obese patients whose body mass index were below 25 kg/m2. The subjects were non-obese patients who were diagnosed as plantar fasciitis by clinical appearance, physical examination, and ultrasonographic findings (n=48), and non-obese control persons without clinical diagnosis of plantar fasciitis (n=30). The two groups were compared on fat pad thickness, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), resting calcaneal stance position (RCSP), incidence of calcaneal spur, and calcaneal pitch. The results showed that, there were statistically significant differences between two groups in ankle dorsiflexion ROM, RCSP, and calcaneal pitch (p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed ankle dorsiflexion ROM and RCSP strongly correlated with presence of plantar fasciitis as independent predictors (p<0.05). In conclusion, reduced ankle dorsiflexion ROM and negative RCSP (valgus tendency in rear foot) may be the biomechanical factors associated with plantar fasciitis in non-obese patients.

Keyword

Plantar fasciitis; Biomechanical factors; Non-obese patients

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Animals
Ankle
Body Mass Index
Fasciitis, Plantar
Heel Spur
Humans
Incidence
Logistic Models
Physical Examination
Range of Motion, Articular

Figure

  • Fig. 1. The ultrasonographic image of fat pad thickness of a foot at the unloaded position.

  • Fig. 2. Participants were drawn a line connecting 3 points on the midline of rearfoot. And then the investigator recorded the resting calcaneal stance position with gravity goniometer.

  • Fig. 3. The calcaneal pitch angle, represented by a line drawn from the plantar surface of the calcaneus to the in-ferior border of the calcaneus-cuboid and line drawn from the plantar surface of the calcaneus to the inferior surface of the 5th metatarsal head.


Reference

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