Balance Disorders clinical trials

The Effect of Subtalar Joint Pronation Amount on Lower Extremity Alignment and Performance

The lower extremity consists of segments that can be affected by the relative position of each other. Deviation of one segment from its normal alignment in the lower extremity also affects the alignment of other segments. The hip joint can affect the frontal plane alignment from proximal to distal, while the foot and ankle complex can also affect it from distal to proximal. Increased subtalar joint pronation in the kinetic chain from distal to proximal; is associated with decreased dorsiflexion angle and increased frontal plane projection angle. It has been shown that ankle dorsiflexion limitation causes changes in the biomechanics and kinematics of landing after jumping, but no study examining the effect of foot pronation on jump tests has been found in the literature. Since the foot is located at the most distal point and acts as a support base for the kinematic chain, the smallest dynamic change in the foot affects the balance of the whole body. Due to foot pronation, changes in the sole contact surface may make it difficult for the foot to adapt to the ground, balance and postural stabilization may be adversely affected, and an increase in the workload of the muscles around the joint may be observed. In another study, it is mentioned that there is limited evidence about the effect of foot posture on postural stability. Although there are studies in the literature examining the effects of subtalar joint pronation on lower extremity alignment and postural stability, studies need to examine the effects of different subtalar joint pronation amounts on lower extremity alignment, jumping performance, and postural stability. Our study will contribute to the literature with this aspect.