Research papers

Thomas G. McPoil, PhD, PT, ATC ' Gary C. Hunt, MA, PT, OCS * Recent research has raised serious concerns regarding the reliability and validity of the evaluation and treatment scheme proposed by Root et al. Although the Root et a1 theory is widely referenced in the physical therapy literature and commonly taught in continuing education courses, current issues of concern include: I ) measurement technique reliability, 2) the criteria proposed for normal foot alignment, and 3) the position of the subtalar joint behveen midstance and heel-off during walking. The intent of this paper is to review these three problem areas which have been identified with...

This article presents the most common structural foot deformities encountered in clinical practice. The deformities are defined, and the expected compensations at the subtalar joint (STJ) are described. The theoretical consequences of the STJ compensations on proximal and distal tissues are presented. A biomechanical rationale for certain tissue disorders is described. The possible effects of abnormal STJ compensation on osseous development are briefly discussed. Key Words: Foot deformities; Gait; Kinesiology/biomechanics, lower extremity; Lower extremity, ankle and foot; Subtalar joint. Click here for the full PDF

J. R. Usherwood*, A. J. Channon, J. P. Myatt, J. W. Rankin and T. Y. Hubel Structure and Motion Laboratory, The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, Herts AL9 7TA, UK Mechanically, the most economical gait for slow bipedal locomotion requires walking as an ‘inverted pendulum’, with: I, an impulsive, energy-dissipating leg compression at the beginning of stance; II, a stiff-limbed vault; and III, an impulsive, powering push-off at the end of stance. The characteristic ‘M’-shaped vertical ground reaction forces of walking in humans reflect this impulse–vault–impulse strategy. Humans achieve this gait by dissipating energy during the heel-to-sole transition in early stance, approximately stiff-limbed, flatfooted vaulting over...

Walking in Minimalist Shoes Is Effective for Strengthening Foot Muscles. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 104–113, 2019. Introduction: Weakness of foot muscles may contribute to a variety of loading-related injuries. Supportive footwear may contribute to intrinsic foot muscle weakness by reducing the muscles_ role in locomotion (e.g., absorbing forces and controlling motion). Increased stimulus to the foot muscles can be provided through a variety of mechanisms, including minimalist footwear and directed exercise. Purpose: To determine the effect of walking in minimalist footwear or performing foot strengthening exercises on foot muscle size and strength.  Methods: Fifty-seven runners were randomly assigned to one...