Foot Muscle Strength, Muscle Shortness, Balance, and Shoe Preferences in Different Foot Postures

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the foot muscle strength, muscle shortness, tibialis posterior endurance, balance, and the shoe preference differences between the neutral and pronated foot posture. Methods: Forty-nine participants consisting of 23 women and 26 men, and age of between 18 and 45 years were participated in the study. Foot posture, medial longitudinal arch height, height, gastrocnemius and hamstring muscle shortness, foot and ankle muscle strength, tibialis posterior muscle endurance, static balance, and shoe preferences of the participants were evaluated. Subjects were recruited into two groups according to their foot posture evaluated with Foot Posture Index: as those with neutral and pronated foot posture. Results: Navicular drop, gastrocnemius, and hamstring muscle shortness were significantly higher in participants with pronated foot posture compared to those with neutral foot (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in terms of tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior, peroneal, and gastrocnemius muscle strength; tibialis posterior muscle endurance, balance, and shoe preferences between two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Flexibility of gastrocnemius and hamstring muscles were reduced, but foot muscle strength, tibialis posterior muscle endurance, and balance remained unaffected in young individuals with excessive foot pronation. Moreover, shoe preferences may not affect the foot posture in young people. Although all age-related biomechanical effects of foot pronation are not well known yet, muscle shortness seems to arise earlier than muscle weakness and reduced balance in pronated foot posture.