Inverted
posture
‘A Rearfoot
good fit?’
Excessive rearfoot eversion is suggested to
lead to tibial and femoral internal rotation,
subsequently resulting in increased quadriceps
angle and higher lateral PF cartilage stress [15]
in accordance with “law of valgus” (i.e. varus
alignment increases the medial PF force and
valgus alignment increases the lateral PF force)
[39]. If this biomechanical theory is correct,
everted and inverted calcaneus are associated
with lateral and medial PFOA, respectively.
This theory is supported by the significant
relationship between calcaneus inverted angle
and the presence of medial PFOA shown by the
findings. However, calcaneus inverted angle
is likely associated with lateral PFOA given
that the lower limit of 95% CI of OR is near
1.0. These findings do not clearly support a
biomechanical link between inverted rearfoot
alignment and medial compartment-specific
PFOA. Thus, inverted calcaneus may represent a
clinical feature of multicompartmental disease.
Further studies examining the biomechanical
link between rearfoot abnormality and PFOA
are warranted to support the findings from this
exploratory study.
We found that calcaneus inverted angle was
associated with a higher prevalence of medial
PFOA. Conflicting evidence linking foot eversion
and PF exists, although excessive foot eversion
and its relationship to PF pain have been
discussed in literature. For example, Powers et
34
Pedorthic Footcare Association | www.pedorthics.org
"These findings do not clearly
support a biomechanical link
between inverted rearfoot
alignment and medial
compartment-specific PFOA.
Thus, inverted calcaneus may
represent a clinical feature of
multicompartmental disease.
Further studies examining the
biomechanical link between
rearfoot abnormality and PFOA
are warranted to support the
findings from this exploratory
study."
@Shutterstock.com/Sebastian
and physical function between patients with
PF pain and PFOA, none of the included
studies examined rearfoot posture in patients
with PFOA [18]. Thus, this study is the first to
show that rearfoot posture may be a potential
modifiable factor associated with PF joint
disease.