Bayraktar Dilek, Ozyalcin Ali, Ozyalcin Mehmet Halit
Department of Ortopaedic Surgery, Orhtopedic Physiotherapy, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye.
Department of Ortopaedic Surgery, University of Health Sciences Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye.
Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc. 2025 May 28;59(3):164-169. doi: 10.5152/j.aott.2025.24033.
Objective: The structure and function of the Metatarsal Transverse Arch (MTA) remain underexplored. It was hypothesized that, during the push-off phase of gait, the MTA does not form a single arch between the first and fifth metatarsals; rather, it consists of 2 separate arches-one spanning the first to the third metatarsals and the other spanning the third to the fifth metatarsals-that function like the hulls of a trimaran boat. This study aims to investigate the biomechanical role of the MTA during this critical phase. Methods: Dynamic pedobarographic measurements were utilized from 1250 adults (847 females, 403 males). Maximum pressures on all metatarsal heads during the push-off phase were recorded, and MTA arches were calculated using the SAP2000 program. Statistical significance was set at P < .05. Results: The mean pressure on the third metatarsal was 160.0 (minimum: 9.0, maximum: 1799.0) for the left foot and 142.0 (minimum: 0.0, maximum: 1753.0) for the right foot. The maximum pressure in both feet occurred at the third metatarsal head (left: 67.0%, right: 54.6%). There was no statistically significant difference between genders regarding the maximum load on the metatarsal heads. Conclusion: This study reinterprets the biomechanical behavior of the forefoot and MTA during the push-off phase, potentially aiding in the understanding of forefoot pathologies. Future research on children and adolescents could further illuminate forefoot biomechanics. Level of Evidence: Level III.
跖骨横弓（MTA）的结构和功能仍未得到充分研究。据推测，在步态的蹬离阶段，MTA并非在第一和第五跖骨之间形成单一的弓；相反，它由两个独立的弓组成——一个跨越第一至第三跖骨，另一个跨越第三至第五跖骨——其功能类似于三体船的船体。本研究旨在调查MTA在这一关键阶段的生物力学作用。方法：对1250名成年人（847名女性，403名男性）进行动态足底压力测量。记录蹬离阶段所有跖骨头的最大压力，并使用SAP2000程序计算MTA弓。统计学显著性设定为P <.05。结果：左脚第三跖骨的平均压力为160.0（最小值：9.0，最大值：1799.0），右脚为142.0（最小值：0.0，最大值：1753.0）。双脚的最大压力均出现在第三跖骨头（左脚：67.0%，右脚：54.6%）。关于跖骨头的最大负荷，性别之间没有统计学上的显著差异。结论：本研究重新解释了前足和MTA在蹬离阶段的生物力学行为，可能有助于理解前足疾病。未来对儿童和青少年的研究可能会进一步阐明前足生物力学。证据水平：三级。
