Relationship between forefoot structure, including the transverse arch, and forefoot pain in patients with hallux valgus.
Kengo Nakai, Hala Zeidan, Yusuke Suzuki and 7 others
PMID 30858663WHAT IT FOUND
In women with hallux valgus, greater forefoot transverse arch length was linked to forefoot pain, even after adjusting for age, body mass index, and hallux valgus angle.
Transverse arch height was not.
Key findings
01Feet with forefoot pain had greater transverse arch length than feet without pain while sitting (30.0 ± 1.8 vs 31.0 ± 2.2) and standing (30.7 ± 1.9 vs 31.8 ± 2.5).
02After adjusting for age, body mass index, and hallux valgus angle, transverse arch length was independently associated with forefoot pain (odds ratio 0.75 sitting; odds ratio 0.79 standing).
03The pain and no pain groups did not differ significantly in hallux valgus angle or transverse arch height.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This was a cross-sectional study, so it cannot show whether greater transverse arch length causes pain or pain changes the foot. Only women were studied, with mean age 69.8 ± 9.4 years, so it does not address men or younger adults. Forefoot pain was recorded as yes or no from illustrations, without details of location, strength, frequency, or relation to movement. The study did not directly evaluate muscles or ligaments, so the proposed mechanism is not tested.
Declared interests
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency, and the authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the association as proof that greater transverse arch length causes pain or that changing footwear or the foot arch reduces pain. The study was cross-sectional and only compared people with and without pain at one time.