Chow Tong-Hsien
Department of Sports Science, R.O.C. Military Academy, No.1, Wei-Wu Road, Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, 830208, Taiwan.
BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025 Jul 2;17(1):169. doi: 10.1186/s13102-025-01207-1.
Research on Morton's neuroma (MN) has seen limited advancement in recent years, leading to a lack of quantitative studies on the foot patterns of affected patients. Given the various age-related factors influencing foot bone deformities in elderly patients with MN, conclusions regarding their foot patterns remain uncertain. This study aims to investigate the plantar load distributions and foot postures in collegiate athletes diagnosed with MN.
A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 36 asymptomatic volunteers and 45 participants diagnosed with MN. The JC Mat optical plantar load analyzer was employed to assess arch index (AI), plantar load distributions, center of gravity and hallux angles during static stances, while also evaluating rearfoot postural alignment.
Participants with MN demonstrated symmetrical and normal AI values. Left-foot MN participants exhibited significantly higher plantar loads at the lateral metatarsal of the left foot (p = 0.003) and the medial heels of both feet (left foot, p = 0.004; right foot, p = 0.003), while those with right-foot MN experienced increased loads primarily at the lateral metatarsals of both feet (left foot, p = 0.009; right foot, p = 0.000) and the medial longitudinal arch of the left foot (p = 0.021). Both MN groups exhibited a compensatory shift in the center of gravity toward the asymptomatic foot. Furthermore, left-foot MN participants showed increased hallux valgus angles (p = 0.001) and rearfoot varus angles (p = 0.043) in the affected foot, while right-foot MN participants exhibited increased hallux valgus angles (p = 0.021) in the affected foot and rearfoot varus angles in both feet (left foot, p = 0.033; right foot, p = 0.049).
Taiwanese collegiate athletes with MN exhibited normal arches, with plantar loads primarily distributed at the lateral metatarsals of both feet. The affected foot displayed hallux valgus and rearfoot varus. These findings underscore a compensatory shift in the center of gravity toward the asymptomatic foot and a potential link between hallux valgus, rearfoot varus, and the MN condition. The results offer insights into biomechanical adaptations and potential targets for clinical interventions in MN management, suggesting that hallux valgus may serve as a visible predictive marker for MN-related pathological changes, which may facilitate early diagnosis and inform personalized treatment strategies.
This study was registered at the UK's Clinical Study Registry. (Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN17467973; Date: 09/01/2025; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17467973 ).
近年来，关于莫顿神经瘤（MN）的研究进展有限，导致对受影响患者足部形态的定量研究不足。鉴于影响老年MN患者足部骨骼畸形的各种年龄相关因素，关于他们足部形态的结论仍不确定。本研究旨在调查被诊断为MN的大学生运动员的足底负荷分布和足部姿势。
进行了一项横断面研究，纳入36名无症状志愿者和45名被诊断为MN的参与者。使用JC Mat光学足底负荷分析仪评估静态站立时的足弓指数（AI）、足底负荷分布、重心和拇趾角度，同时评估后足姿势对线。
MN参与者表现出对称且正常的AI值。左脚MN参与者在左脚外侧跖骨（p = 0.003）和双脚内侧足跟处（左脚，p = 0.004；右脚，p = 0.003）的足底负荷显著更高，而右脚MN参与者主要在双脚外侧跖骨（左脚，p = 0.009；右脚，p = 0.000）和左脚内侧纵弓处（p = 0.021）负荷增加。两个MN组的重心均向无症状脚发生代偿性转移。此外，左脚MN参与者患侧脚的拇外翻角度（p = 0.001）和后足内翻角度（p = 0.043）增加，而右脚MN参与者患侧脚的拇外翻角度（p = 0.021）增加，双脚后足内翻角度（左脚，p = 0.033；右脚，p = 0.049）增加。
台湾大学生MN运动员足弓正常，足底负荷主要分布在双脚外侧跖骨。患侧脚表现出拇外翻和后足内翻。这些发现强调了重心向无症状脚的代偿性转移以及拇外翻、后足内翻与MN病情之间的潜在联系。研究结果为MN管理中的生物力学适应和临床干预的潜在靶点提供了见解，表明拇外翻可能作为MN相关病理变化显著的预测标志物，这可能有助于早期诊断并为个性化治疗策略提供依据。
本研究在英国临床研究注册中心注册。（试验注册号：ISRCTN17467973；日期：2025年1月9日；https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17467973 ）
