Study Design: A 2 × 4 mixed-design ANOVA with a fixed factor of group (posterior tibialis tendon dysfunction [PTTD] and asymptomatic controls), and a repeated factor of phase of stance (loading response, midstance, terminal stance, and preswing). Objective: To compare 3-dimensional stance period kinematics (rearfoot eversion/inversion, medial longitudinal arch [MLA] angle, and forefoot abduction) of subjects with stage II PTTD to asymptomatic controls. Background: Abnormal foot postures in subjects with stage II PTTD are clinical indicators of disease progression, yet dynamic investigations of forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot kinematic deviations in this population are lacking. Methods: Fourteen subjects with stage II PTTD were compared to 10 control subjects with normal arch index values. Subjects were matched for age, gender, and body mass index. A 5-segment, kinematic model of the leg and foot was tracked using an Optotrak Motion Analysis System. The dependent kinematic variables were rearfoot inversion/eversion, forefoot abduction/adduction, and the MLA angle. An ANOVA model was used to compare kinematic variables between groups across 4 phases of stance.Results: Subjects with PTTD demonstrated significantly greater rearfoot eversion (P = .042), MLA angle (P = .008) and forefoot abduction angles (PϽ.005) during specific phases of stance. Subjects with PTTD demonstrated significantly greater rearfoot eversion (PϽ.004) and MLA angles (PϽ.009) by 6.2°and 8.0°, respectively, during loading response when compared to controls. During preswing, the subjects with PTTD demonstrated a significantly greater MLA angle (PϽ.002) and a forefoot abduction angle (PϽ.001) which exceeded that of the controls by 10.0°. Conclusions: The abnormal kinematics observed at the rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot across all phases of stance implicate a failure of compensatory muscle and secondary ligamentous support to control foot kinematics in subjects with stage II PTTD.

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Level I, prospective randomized study.

abnormal kinematics during a heel rise task. 41 The normal combined action of the posterior tibialis and triceps surae muscles is thought to produce ankle plantar flexion with inversion during a heel rise task. 15,23,33 Clinically, an

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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The greater PTLength, as determined from foot kinematics, suggests that the PT musculotendon is lengthened in subjects with stage II PTTD, compared to healthy controls. The amount of lengthening is not dependent on the phase of gait; however, different foot kinematics contribute to PTLength across the stance phase. Targeting these foot kinematics may limit lengthening of the PT musculotendon. Subjects with excessive PT lengthening experience a decrease in function.

Background-Subjects with stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) exhibit abnormal foot kinematics; however, how individual segment kinematics (hindfoot (HF) or first metatarsal (first MET) segments) influence global foot kinematics is unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare foot and ankle kinematics and sagittal plane HF and first MET segment kinematics between stage II PTTD and controls.