Abstract
It is suggested that there is a link between overuse injuries and the type of arch of the foot, and that the use of appropriate running shoes may reduce running injuries substantially. However, to select the correct shoe, a runner needs knowledge of the anatomy and biomechanics of his/her foot.
Five orthopaedic surgeons and experienced orthopaedic technicians examined the feet of 92 runners of mean age 35.4 years (12 to 63), mean height 176 cm (154 to 195) and mean body weight 70.38 kg (45 to 95). Weight-bearing podograms were used to define deformities of the feet further. A questionnaire ascertained what runners knew about their arch heights and the biomechanics of running. Of 43 volunteers with normal arches, 25 correctly assessed their feet, but only 18 of 47 runners with a flatfoot deformity identified their deformity. Two runners with a cavus foot identified it correctly. Only four of 38 runners who diagnosed themselves as pronators were found to be, and four runners who self-diagnosed non-pronation were classified as pronators. Three runners who could not classify themselves were diagnosed as pronators.
This study demonstrates the poor knowledge of foot deformities in the running community.
The abstracts were edited by Prof. M.B.E. Sweet. Correspondence should be addressed to him at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193 South Africa
