Toe functions have little effect on dynamic balance ability in elderly people.
Yoshinobu Yoshimoto, Yukitsuna Oyama, Mamoru Tanaka and 1 others
PMID 28210064WHAT IT FOUND
Toe grip strength was associated with better performance on timed walking and stepping tests in 78 ambulant older adults, but toe range, pain and hallux valgus angle mattered little.
The overall impact of toe functions on dynamic balance was small.
Key findings
01Toe flexion strength was associated with both dynamic balance tests.
02In the regression models, toe flexion strength was related to both balance tests, and presence or absence of hallux pain was related to the Timed Up and Go Test.
03The participants had good dynamic balance and mild toe dysfunction, so the study did not test older adults with severe toe problems.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it shows association only and cannot show that changing toe function changes balance. Participants were volunteers in a community health service and were generally high-functioning, with median Timed Up and Go Test 9.6 seconds and mild toe dysfunction, so results may not apply to frailer older adults or those with severe foot problems. All males were excluded, so the findings do not apply to men. Toe assessment focused on the hallux and did not assess mobility or deformation of the second to fifth toes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that toe strength training improves balance. The study measured association, not change, and toe functions had little impact on balance test performance.