Relationship between transverse arch height and foot muscles evaluated by ultrasound imaging device.
Yasuaki Nakayama, Yuto Tashiro, Yusuke Suzuki and 12 others
PMID 29706721WHAT IT FOUND
Forefoot arch height measured by ultrasound was associated with greater flexor digitorum brevis size and thicker abductor hallucis in healthy young men.
Key findings
01Forefoot transverse arch height measured by ultrasound was positively associated with flexor digitorum brevis cross-sectional area and thickness, and with abductor hallucis thickness, at both 10% and 90% weightbearing.
02These associations remained after accounting for BMI and age.
03Transverse arch height did not change between 10% and 90% loading, and the muscle correlations were similar at both loads.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 19 healthy young men were studied, and 37 feet were analyzed, so results may not apply to women, older adults, children, or people with foot problems. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that larger muscles cause a higher arch or vice versa. No clinical outcomes such as pain, gait, balance, injury, or treatment response were measured. Only five muscles were examined; ligaments, bone shape, and other foot structures may also influence arch height. One foot with recent pain was excluded.
Declared interests
The study received no specific grant, and authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that strengthening flexor digitorum brevis or abductor hallucis will raise forefoot arch height or reduce foot problems. This study only measured an association in healthy young men and did not test treatment or outcomes.