Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) is a progressive and debilitating condition that is estimated to affect nearly 5 million people in the United States. 7 In the early stages (stage I) of the condition, PTTD is a common running-related injury.
31While the aetiology of PTTD has not been established, it is considered multifactorial in nature and has generally been related to progressive alterations in arch structure, muscular strength, and gait biomechanics.
T T BACKGROUND:PTTD is a progressive condition, so early recognition and treatment are essential to help delay or reverse the progression. However, no previous studies have investigated stage I PTTD, and no single study has measured static anatomical structure, muscle strength, and gait mechanics in this population.
T T METHODS: Twelve individuals with stage I PTTDand 12 healthy, age-and gender-matched control subjects, who were engaged in running-related activities, participated in this study. Measurements of arch height index, maximum voluntary ankle invertor muscle strength, and 3-dimensional rearfoot and medial longitudinal arch kinematics during walking were obtained.
T T RESULTS:The runners with PTTD demonstrated significantly lower seated arch height index (P = .02) and greater (P = .03) and prolonged (P = .05) peak rearfoot eversion angle during gait, compared to the healthy runners. No differences were found in standing arch height index values (P = .28), arch rigidity index (P = .06), ankle invertor strength (P = .49), or peak medial longitudinal arch values (P = .49) between groups.
T T CONCLUSION:The increased foot pronation is hypothesized to place greater strain on the posterior tibialis muscle, which may partially explain the progressive nature of this condition.