Medial longitudinal arch of the foot: stationary versus walking measures.

We describe the characteristics of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) of the right foot in 19 healthy men while sitting/partial bodyweight, standing/full bodyweight, and during the stance phase of walking. Three measurements were selected as representative of the MLA, including: height of the arch, length of the arch, and supranavicular angle. Mean values were calculated in three dimensions for each measure in the sitting and standing conditions and for the minimum value of each measure in the walking condition. Patterns measured during walking had high association (r = 0.999) and could be related to phases of stance. In the stationary conditions, the MLA varied significantly (P<0.001). No significant relationship of arch height, arch length, or supranavicular angle was found between sitting and standing or between stationary and walking conditions. It was concluded that none of the static variables could be used to predict others and that static measures of the MLA do not predict the dynamic motion of the MLA. The MLA may not be a reasonable indicator of behavior or motion of the foot.