Foot & Ankle Pubmed Results

Purpose: This study aimed to comparatively analyze the lower-limb biomechanical differences between two populations with ankle dorsiflexion limitation during the stance phase of gait, thereby providing a scientific basis for clinical rehabilitation and athletic training. Methods: 12 males with congenital ankle dorsiflexion limitation and 12 males with acquired ankle dorsiflexion limitation, along with 12 healthy male controls were recruited into the study. Group differences in lower-limb...

CONCLUSION: The ISOTIB demonstrated excellent reliability and validity, suggesting it is a viable tool for assessing maximal ankle strength. The ISOTIB offers a practical alternative to current methods, which are typically expensive and utilise large immovable devices.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effects of tactile and vibratory plantar stimulation on balance, proprioception, and tactile sensitivity in patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI).

Characterization of the relationship between muscle size and torque has a strong theoretical foundation and is supported by empirical evidence. However, the relationships between muscle morphology and force generation remain incomplete. Previous MRI-based studies linking structure and function have been limited by small, male-dominant samples, reducing generalizability. Expanding datasets that integrate MRI-derived muscle volumes and torque across multiple joints, angles, and sexes is essential...

Assessing ankle abductor (ABD) strength is clinically relevant because the peroneal muscles are key contributors to lateral ankle stability. However, no previous study has examined whether isolated ABD strength can be measured reliably and reflects peroneal muscle function. This study evaluated the intra-session test-retest reliability of a novel device for isometric ABD strength assessment and examined construct validity using surface electromyography (EMG). Two independent samples were...

CONCLUSION: Ankle ultrasonography significantly improves MSU crystal detection in AH and should be integrated into screening protocols. The crystal_score has significant discriminative ability as a quantifiable biomarker for subclinical inflammation, especially in patients with SUA < 480 μmol/L, with its moderate correlation (Spearman's ρ = 0.333) reflecting the "silent deposition" phase of AH. MTP2 assessment can be omitted.These findings support standardized, risk-stratified ultrasound...

CONCLUSION: The ovulatory phase appears to be associated with an interaction of structural alterations (ligament laxity and arch collapse) and neuromuscular changes (reduced muscle stiffness and inefficient motor control) that, together, could constitute a risk factor for local pathologies such as plantar fasciitis and chronic ankle instability.

CONCLUSION: The FF-PD is a valid and reliable device for assessing ankle force sense in plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. It effectively differentiates individuals with CAI from healthy controls, and ROC-derived cutoff values provide clinically interpretable thresholds that may support clinical screening and decision-making, as well as the potential use in monitoring changes during clinical screening and rehabilitation.

Ankle-foot deformities, such as clubfoot, pose treatment challenges due to complex and patient-specific biomechanics. Accurate assessment of muscle force behavior is essential for tailoring interventions, yet conventional gait analysis is limited in isolating muscle-specific function. Intraoperative force measurements via the muscle's tendon offer a unique opportunity to directly quantify muscle mechanics. This study aimed to characterize the passive and active force-angle relationship of the...

Prosthetic ankle-foot devices provide valuable assistance for individuals with a unilateral transtibial amputation (TTA) to effectively engage in daily living activities, although users often experience diminished walking performance such as increased metabolic cost, knee joint loading, and dynamic balance asymmetry due to the lack of torque control from commonly prescribed passive devices. Consequently, active powered prosthetic devices have been developed; however, it is unclear how to...

Recent studies show the relevance of using sEMG signals and extracted features in powered prosthesis control. However, amputation technique determines the availability of residual muscles, and minimizing sensor number is to be preferred. Therefore, (i) limiting the total number of sEMG muscle inputs, (ii) minimizing the inputs from the lower leg muscles, and (iii) completely excluding the lower leg muscles will make the control algorithm economical, flexible, and practical, respectively. Using...

CONCLUSION: Based on the present study conducted at a single tertiary medical center, the shortage of medical personnel due to resident resignations during South Korea's medical crisis led to a reduction in total surgical volume, an increase in infection severity, and a shift in anesthesia techniques.

Most falls occur while walking, making gait quality a logical therapeutic target. Many temporo-spatial variables have been implicated in increased fall risk, but these are dependent upon kinematic parameters of the joints involved in the gait cycle. The widespread availability of wearable sensors has made the acquisition of kinematic data feasible, and those related to the ankle are most relevant, as they relate most closely to causes of falls, trips, slips, and mis-steps. The purpose of this...

Contractures limit movement in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Ankle contractures due to gastrocnemius (GNM) and/or soleus muscles (SM) shortening are common but the effect of GNM and SM contractures on physical functioning and whether asymmetry (difference left and right) has impact remain unclear.Data from 129 ambulant DMD patients with 496 visits (median 4 visits/patient (IQR:2-5), median baseline age 6.1 (IQR:5.5-8.6)) were used to address this knowledge gap.Ankle dorsiflexion (AD) was...

CONCLUSIONS: Bosu-ball training increased cortical activation and improved ankle-foot function among individuals with CAI, and yielded more improvements with active HD-tDCS. The increment of cortical activation was positively correlated with the improvement of ankle-foot function.

CONCLUSION: In this single-institution retrospective cohort, we did not detect statistically significant differences in radiographic osseointegration or major postoperative outcomes among synthetic, allograft, or mixed graft formulations; larger prospective studies are warranted.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of lower extremity joint kinetics and muscle strength on running economy (RE) over level ground, 5% and 10% grades. Twenty-seven recreational runners (14 females, age: 33.7 [12.8] y, mass: 70.2 [12.5] kg, height: 175.9 [9.1] cm) completed laboratory-based RE, biomechanics, and isokinetic dynamometry testing. Linear regression analyses were used to determine the effect of lower extremity joint work, stiffness, and strength on RE for each...

BACKGROUND: Articular fractures of the distal tibia often lead to post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Precisely restoring the joint surface to lower contact stress is a proven tenet of treatment, but incongruity often persists after operative fracture reduction. Custom dynamic orthoses may offer a non-invasive means to decrease plantarflexor muscle force and in turn contact stress to preferentially offload the ankle. The objective of this study was to develop and pilot a new computational framework...

Accurate assessment of three-dimensional ankle kinematics is essential for advancing biomechanical analyses and informing potential clinical applications. While optical motion capture systems (OMCs) are considered the gold standard, their high cost and limited portability restrict their use outside the laboratory. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) offer a more practical alternative; however, concerns remain regarding their validity and reliability in diverse walking conditions. This study...

A multi-function articulated ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) allows independent adjustment of dorsiflexion and plantarflexion range of motion (ROM) and stiffness to optimize gait performance in individuals post-stroke. This study investigated the effects of varying two parameters of an articulated AFO (dorsiflexion ROM and stiffness) on center of pressure (CoP) trajectories, plantar forces, and spatiotemporal parameters during treadmill walking in 10 individuals post-stroke. After individualized...

Falls in older adults are a serious public health concern with physical and economic consequences that reduce independence and quality of life. Older adults have morphological changes at the foot and ankle that may disrupt foot neuromechanics and the foot's ability to regulate mechanical leverage and balance during walking. This study quantified age and walking speed effects on mechanical leverage of the foot and ankle, as well as the extent to which interindividual differences in foot-ankle...

CONCLUSIONS: Six weeks of progressive balance exercises significantly increased corticomotor excitability corresponding to the peroneus longus muscle in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

A man in his 30s presented with a progressively enlarging swelling over the lateral aspect of his right ankle for 8 months. The swelling was insidious in onset, gradually progressive and notably painless. Examination revealed a 6×4 cm lobulated mass over the lateral malleolus with preserved ankle motion. Ultrasonography showed a lobulated hypoechoic lesion with vascularity, and contrast-enhanced MRI revealed a multiloculated lesion with peripheral enhancement surrounding the peroneal tendons,...

CONCLUSION: Foot and ankle tumors are rare but clinically significant as misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can lead to poor outcomes. Although most are benign, malignant cases, especially in the ankle region, require aggressive management. Awareness of their regional distribution and histopathological spectrum is essential for early recognition, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate treatment planning. Cite this article as: Yıldırım S, Çiftdemir M, Salih O, Ustabaşıoğlu FE, Üstün F, Usta U....

Three-dimensional printing has rapidly evolved into an important technology in orthopedic surgery, enabling the creation of patient-spe cific instruments, implants, and anatomical models. As printing has become more affordable and accessible, point-of-care manufacturing has increasingly allowed clinicians to design and produce surgical aids directly within clinical units. This development, combined with advances in computed tomography (CT)-based imaging and segmentation software, has...

Cite this article as: Ashkani-Esfahani S, Aslan L. AOTT special issue Editorial. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc., 2025;59(6):337-339.

CONCLUSIONS: AIMSS may affect all joints, including the ankles and feet. Lack of patient information regarding AIMSS can lead to unnecessary, time-consuming, costly and potentially harmful diagnostic procedures and treatment.

Expert consensus on clinical application of absorbable polymer screw in foot and ankle surgery was developed by Foot and Ankle Committee of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Foot and Ankle Committee of Sports Medicine Physician Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Foot and Ankle Group of Orthopedic Branch of Shanghai Medical Associationand, and Foot and Ankle Alliance of National Orthopedic Medical Center of Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital. Based on...

Edgington, HCA, Lambert, AJ, Sophocleous, V, Waterworth, SPW, Barker, JT, Liew, BXW, and McManus, CJ. Blood flow restriction does not impair ankle proprioception in healthy male adults. J Strength Cond Res 40(4): e352-e357, 2026-Blood flow restriction (BFR) training has been widely used to enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy at low loads, yet its impact on proprioception, particularly ankle joint position sense (JPS), is not fully understood. This study assessed the effect of BFR on ankle...

CONCLUSIONS: This study did not find COVID-19 to increase the risk of deep venous thrombosis following foot and ankle surgery, and no specific variables were found to influence this risk. This study stands as a preliminary investigation on deep venous thrombosis rates in COVID-19 patients who have undergone foot and ankle surgery. Larger population studies would be of great benefit in the future.

To address the mismatch between current ankle rehabilitation robots and natural human motion, which affects rehabilitation efficacy, this paper uses screw theory and motion capture experiments to identify the instantaneous finite helical motion axis (IFHA) of the human ankle joint. It determines the distribution law of the IFHA and twist pitch (TP) of the ankle, and designs a human-machine motion compatible rope-driven ankle joint rehabilitation robot that meets the needs of human ankle joint...

Intact ankle proprioception is essential for the control of balance and gait. This study determined ankle position sense acuity for plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. In two separate assessments, the right ankle of 30 healthy young adults was passively rotated from neutral joint position to a 15° reference position and a smaller comparison position in either plantar- or dorsiflexion. Subsequently, participants verbally indicated which position felt more flexed. After 25 trials, a psychometric...

Chronic osteomyelitis is very difficult to treat, numerous reconstructive strategies have been described for repairing soft tissue defect combined with chronic osteomyelitis in the foot and ankle. The free chimeric medial sural artery perforator (cMSAP) flap has been recommended for reconstructing the complicated wounds. We conducted a retrospective study on 16 patients who accepted cMSAP flap to reconstruct the soft tissue defect in the setting of chronic osteomyelitis in foot and ankle from...

Focal chondral defects of the knee and ankle remain a challenging clinical condition, particularly in young and active patients, as they often cause pain, mechanical symptoms, and functional limitation without necessarily progressing to osteoarthritis (OA). This narrative review summarises current evidence on non-operative strategies for managing focal chondral lesions in non-arthritic joints, emphasising the role of rehabilitation as the central component of care. A thematic literature search...

CONCLUSION: Intravenous dexamethasone effectively prolongs analgesia and reduces opioid requirements after pediatric foot and ankle surgery. While 0.2 mg/kg provides maximal benefit, 0.1 mg/kg may offer an optimal balance between efficacy and metabolic safety.

Ankle osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disorder that causes significant pain and mobility challenges during activities like walking and stair navigation, where high plantarflexor torque demands exacerbate compressive loads on degraded cartilage and subchondral bone. Conventional ankle braces stabilize the joint but often immobilize it, leading to compensatory gait patterns. While powered exoskeletons could alleviate joint stress, many designs are insufficiently backdrivable or versatile to...

In this paper, two devices were designed to create an accurate sensor platform for distal lower extremity movement monitoring. This sensor platform is intended to facilitate later development of a smart ankle brace or to guide ankle joint rehabilitation. The first device, a scanning apparatus, includes a commercial 3D scanner (EinScan Pro) and it is designed to move the scanner around a subject's ankle, enabling the creation of a detailed 3D model of subject-specific anatomy with accuracy of 0.5...

Smart mechanized ankle-foot orthoses aim to enhance rehabilitation and mobility assistance by integrating advanced human-machine interfaces. This study evaluates different high-density electromyography (HD-EMG) electrode configurations to investigate signal quality for future designs, addressing challenges in sensor variability and noise. By analyzing dorsiflexion and plantarflexion movements with HD-EMG arrays placed over the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medial muscles of 4 healthy...

Ankle exoskeletons can compensate for plantar flexion and dorsiflexion torque deficits that commonly occur with aging by providing assistive torque at the ankle joint. This added torque assistance may be particularly useful for improving stability during standing. However, studies have shown that ankle exoskeletons may both enhance and hinder standing balance, particularly in weaker older adults. Furthermore, the ideal amount and timing of ankle exoskeleton assistance for an older adult is not...

Pointe shoes are unique to ballet allowing dancers to move on the tips of their toes. However, biomechanical demands of the foot and ankle en pointe may increase the risk of associated injury. Understanding foot and ankle mechanics in pointe shoes is therefore essential. Foot kinematics typically requires skin-mounted markers, yet accessing the skin via holes in pointe shoes is not feasible given their high cost and customisation requirement. The aim of our study was to evaluate the measurement...

CONCLUSIONS: The combination of ESWT and EMTT post-operatively may improve pain and earlier return to activity, and treatment was well-tolerated after foot and ankle surgeries. These results can be further explored through placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials in surgical management of foot and ankle conditions and other indications.

CONCLUSION: The morphological variability of the TAT has direct surgical, diagnostic, and rehabilitative implications. Integrating a type-based TAT classification into routine foot-and-ankle work flow sparticularly for procedures involving the medial cuneiform or first metatarsal may support preoperative planning; whether its use reduces complication or reoperation rates requires prospective validation. Multicenter prospective and biomechanical studies are needed to evaluate clinical impact and...

Older adults exhibit declining mobility with age, partly because ankle plantarflexor strength and function, which are crucial for propulsion, are diminished. Exoskeletons hold potential as task-specific resistance training tools that may lead to improved mobility by promoting functional neuromuscular control in addition to strength. Thus, this pilot study assessed the efficacy of an ankle exoskeleton resistance training paradigm on improving plantarflexor strength and mobility among older...

Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are used to improve walking ability in people with neurological and neuromuscular disorders that cause calf muscle weakness. To maximize walking ability, the AFO characteristics, particularly stiffness around the ankle, must be individualized. In case of calf muscle weakness, relatively stiff AFOs exceeding 3.5 Nm/degree are often necessary. To facilitate an informed AFO choice, we aimed to provide an overview of the characteristics of off-the-shelf AFOs. We evaluated...

BACKGROUND: Exercise-based rehabilitation is the standard conservative treatment for Achilles tendinopathy, however, symptoms often persist post-treatment. Forefoot biasing footwear may augment rehabilitation by influencing tendon loading and ankle kinematics. This study aims to determine its effect on Achilles tendon loading and ankle kinematics in individuals with Achilles tendinopathy.

This article reflects on the 50-year journey of the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (BOFAS), tracing its evolution from representing an underappreciated niche interest to being the British face of a mature, technically diverse, and internationally respected surgical sub-specialty. Against the political, social, and medical backdrop of 1970s Britain, the foundation of the original British Orthopaedic Foot Surgery Society (BOFSS) marked a quiet but significant challenge to conventional...

Today, there is a high demand for remote rehabilitation using mobile robotic complexes all over the world. They offer a wide range of options for convenient and effective therapy at home to patients and the elderly, especially those bedridden after musculoskeletal injuries. In this case, modern approaches to the development of exoskeletons for the rehabilitation of the lower extremities are especially relevant for the effective restoration of lost motor functions. Taking into account the...

CONCLUSION: Combining vitamin B complex with anti-inflammatory drugs effectively reduces pain and improves function in patients with chronic foot disorders. This combination therapy offers a promising strategy for improving pain control and functional outcomes in orthopaedic outpatient settings.

Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is a very common injury in the world of basketball. Its recurrence rate is very high, generating chronic ankle instability (CAI), accompanied by decreased muscle activation in the ankle musculature and lack of motor control. The aim is to assess the difference in the activation and the moment of greatest solicitation of the peroneus during the development of the layup basketball gesture and to assess the motor control at this moment of greatest solicitation, in...

Maximum angle of ankle dorsiflexion is affected by the triceps surae muscle stiffness and stretch tolerance, which may be reflected by the tibial nerve stiffness. However, no study has evaluated the triceps surae muscle and tibial nerve stiffnesses simultaneously or clarified their correlation with the maximum angle. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the maximum angle and both the stiffnesses. Forty-one healthy adults participated. The maximum angle of ankle dorsiflexion...