Hypermobility in hallux valgus.

Hypermobility has been implicated as one of the etiological components in common foot problems such as hallux valgus but has not been substantiated by experimental data. Twenty patients with symptomatic untreated hallux valgus and 20 controls were evaluated with a simple hypermobility scoring system. A statistically significant correlation was found to reveal that female patients aged 20 to 40 yr with symptomatic hallux valgus have a mild generalized hypermobility when compared to a similar group of control patients. The presence of such ligamentous laxity would seem to support the need for bony correction in such patients as soft tissue procedures would have a greater propensity for malalignment due to the underlying hypermobility in combination with everyday environmental stresses of trauma and overuse.