Dynamic Foot Biomechanics

Since clinicians often encounter patients with symptomatic feet, a basic understanding of "normal" foot function during movement is important for comparison and to assist with treatment strategies. This article provides a selected summary of quantitative information and current research findings relevant to the dynamic function of the foot. Functional descriptions of walking and running biomechanics are provided along with quantitative findings from current biomechanical studies. A classical description of the biomechanics of gait as found in clinical literature is followed by an overview of quantitative findings which document kinematic and kinetic characteristics during walking. The foot kinematics and kinetics which occur during running are presented in the final section. Extensive databases are still not available for most of the biomechanical parameters which affect foot motion. However, as advances in biomechanical methods continue and more clinicians include quantitative techniques in their routine evaluations, more insight into dynamic foot function will be provided.