*Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
†Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Lokman Hekim University, Ankara, Turkey.
J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2024 Jul-Aug;114(4). doi: 10.7547/22-139.
Foot problems are common in the general adult population. Whereas older people experience foot problems because of multiple chronic diseases, younger people often have musculoskeletal foot problems related to overuse. Symptoms and severity may differ depending on the anatomical location of the problem, such as forefoot and rearfoot problems. We aimed to compare the differences in spatiotemporal gait characteristics, balance, and pain in musculoskeletal forefoot and rearfoot problems.
Twenty-six patients with forefoot (14 participants) and rearfoot (12 participants) problems participated in this prospective study. Spatiotemporal gait characteristics (velocity, cadence, step time, step length, step-extremity ratio, stride length, base support, percentage of swing phase, percentage of stance phase, swing time, and stance time) were evaluated using an electronic walkway, and balance assessment was made using a balance check screener and trainer. The visual analog scale foot and ankle was used to determine patient pain levels. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine differences between groups.
There were no significant differences between groups regarding spatiotemporal gait characteristics (P > .05). The eyes closed normal stability and eyes open perturbed stability scores were lower in patients with rearfoot problems (P < .05). Pain intensity evaluated with the visual analog scale foot and ankle was higher in patients with rearfoot problems (P < .05).
Pain levels and balance deficits in this study were higher in patients with rearfoot problems. The balance evaluation and possible effects of pain management on balance should be considered, especially in patients with rearfoot problems, in aspects of treatment.
足部问题在普通成年人群中很常见。老年人由于多种慢性疾病会出现足部问题，而年轻人通常由于过度使用而出现肌肉骨骼足部问题。症状和严重程度可能因问题的解剖位置而异，例如前足和后足问题。我们旨在比较肌肉骨骼前足和后足问题的时空步态特征、平衡和疼痛的差异。
26 名前足（14 名参与者）和后足（12 名参与者）问题患者参加了这项前瞻性研究。使用电子步道评估时空步态特征（速度、步频、步时、步长、步长比、步长、基底支撑、摆动阶段百分比、站立阶段百分比、摆动时间和站立时间），使用平衡检查筛选器和训练器进行平衡评估。视觉模拟量表足部和踝关节用于确定患者的疼痛水平。使用 Mann-Whitney U 检验确定组间差异。
在时空步态特征方面，两组之间无显著差异（P >.05）。后足问题患者的闭眼正常稳定性和睁眼干扰稳定性评分较低（P <.05）。后足问题患者的视觉模拟量表足部和踝关节疼痛强度评估值较高（P <.05）。
在本研究中，后足问题患者的疼痛水平和平衡缺陷较高。在治疗方面，应考虑平衡评估和疼痛管理对平衡的可能影响，尤其是在后足问题患者中。
