Foot rotation : a potential target to modify the knee adduction moment

Teichtahl, AJ; Morris, ME; Wluka, AE; Baker, RJ; Wolfe, R; Davis, SR; Cicuttini, FM

Abstract

Isolating the particular joints/limb segments associated with knee adductor moment variability may provide clinically important data that could help
to identify strategies to reduce medial tibiofemoral joint load. The aim of this study was to examine whether or not foot and thigh rotation during human locomotion are
significant determinants of knee adductor moment variability. Three-dimensional gait analyses were performed on 32 healthy adult women(mean age 54±12 years, mean BMI 25±4kgm−2) with radiologically normal knees.
The relationships between foot rotation, thigh rotation and the external knee adduction moment were examined during early and late-stance phases of the gait cycle.
The degree of foot rotation correlated significantly with the magnitude of the peak knee adduction moment during late stance (r = 0.40, p = 0.024). No significant
associations were apparent between thigh rotation and the peak knee adduction moment. The association between foot rotation and the knee adduction moment in this
study suggests that women who walk with external rotation at the foot reduce their knee adduction moment during late stance. This result implies that changes in foot
kinematics can modify the medial tibiofemoral load during gait, which may be important in the prevention and management of knee osteoarthritis.

Citation

Teichtahl, A., Morris, M., Wluka, A., Baker, R., Wolfe, R., Davis, S., & Cicuttini, F. (2006). Foot rotation : a potential target to modify the knee adduction moment. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 9(1-2), 67-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2006.03.011

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: May 1, 2006
• Deposit Date: Jul 4, 2011
• Journal: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
• Print ISSN: 1440-2440
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 1-2
• Pages: 67-71
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2006.03.011
• Keywords: Adduction moment, foot, gait, thigh, knee, toe-out
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2006.03.011