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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A retrospective comparison of endoscopic plantar fasciotomy to open plantar fasciotomy with heel spur resection for chronic plantar fasciitis/heel spur syndrome.

The authors review the etiologies and treatments of plantar fasciitis or heel spur syndrome. They offer results of a retrospective study. Comparison of the return to work time after surgery for this condition, examinations of the effects of patient age at the time of surgery, gender, duration of pain prior to surgery, and type of surgical procedure, either endoscopic plantar fasciotomy or open plantar fasciotomy with heel spur resection, is provided.

Absenteeism↗

Nonlinear finite element analysis for musculoskeletal biomechanics of medial and lateral plantar longitudinal arch of Virtual Chinese Human after plantar ligamentous structure failures.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal diseases of the foot such as stress fractures, tendonitis and subsequent pain are commonly associated with elevated stresses/strains of abnormal plantar arch after plantar ligamentous structure failures. The goal of this study was to develop anatomically detailed, finite element models of the medial and lateral plantar longitudinal arch, and to investigate bone and muscle stresses resulting from plantar fasciotomy and major plantar ligament injuries. METHODS: Nonlinear finite element models of the second ray and the fifth ray of plantar longitudinal arches were constructed on the basis of CT and MR images of Virtual Chinese Human "female No. 1". The models assumed a balanced standing load configuration. Three different degrees of passive intrinsic muscle tensions (weak, moderate, or severe) were used in conjunction with simulations of plantar fasciotomy and major plantar ligament injury. FINDINGS: Plantar fasciotomy caused von Mises stress increases in the bones and plantar ligaments while major plantar ligament injuries caused stress increases in the bones, flexor tendons, and plantar fascia. Increasing intrinsic muscle passive tensions decreased stress/strain levels in the medial and lateral arch, and adjusted abnormal tension/compression stress flows of both arches to close to the normal biomechanical states. INTERPRETATION: This study shows that plantar longitudinal arches are concordant combination of bony structures, intrinsic muscles, plantar fascia and ligaments. After plantar ligamentous structure failures, intrinsic muscles have to contribute to stabilize the plantar arches. This mechanism may reduce the risk of developing stress fractures, tendonitis and pain syndrome.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Novel Award 2002. Comparison of physical activity and cumulative plantar tissue stress among subjects with and without diabetes mellitus and a history of recurrent plantar ulcers.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the amount of weight-bearing activity and estimates of cumulative plantar tissue stress between subjects with and without diabetes mellitus and a history of recurrent plantar ulcers. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with matched groups. BACKGROUND: Weight-bearing activity among individuals with diabetes is likely to influence the amount of mechanical trauma accumulated by plantar tissues, yet activity levels have not been accounted for in previous measurements of plantar tissue stress or predictions of plantar tissue injury. METHODS: Study groups included subjects with diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, either with or without a history of recurrent plantar ulcers, and non-diabetic control subjects (n=10 per group). Pressure on the plantar foot was assessed as subjects walked at their preferred speed in the shoes they reported wearing most often each day. Physical activity was monitored over seven consecutive days using an accelerometer. The product of mean daily strides and forefoot pressure-time integral was used to estimate daily cumulative stress on the plantar forefoot. RESULTS: Subjects with diabetes and a history of recurrent plantar ulcers were 46% less active than subjects without diabetes (mean (SD)=2727 (1345) versus 5037 (2624) strides/day, P=0.04), and accumulated 41% less daily stress on the forefoot than non-diabetic and diabetic control subjects without a history of plantar ulcers (mean (SD)= 210 (134) versus 354 (118) and 354 (148) MPas/day respectively, P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with diabetes and a history a previous ulcers may be susceptible to plantar tissue injury even at relatively low levels of cumulative tissue stress. RELEVANCE: Changes in weight-bearing activity following plantar tissue injury in patients with diabetes may influence plantar tissue adaptation and the risk of ulcer recurrence.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Plantar-to-dorsal compared to dorsal-to-plantar screw fixation for proximal chevron osteotomy: a biomechanical analysis.

BACKGROUND: A change in screw orientation in fixing the chevron proximal first metatarsal osteotomy was noted anecdotally to improve fixation strength. The authors hypothesized that plantar-to-dorsal screw orientation would be more stable than the conventional dorsal-to-plantar screw orientation for fixation of the chevron osteotomy. The purpose of this study was to determine if the load-to-failure and stiffness of the chevron type proximal first metatarsal osteotomy stabilized using plantar-to-dorsal screw fixation were greater than with the more conventional dorsal-to-plantar screw fixation method. METHODS: One foot from each of eight matched cadaver pairs was randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) fixation with a dorsal-to-plantar lag screw or 2) fixation with a plantar-to-dorsal lag screw. A proximal chevron osteotomy was then created using standard technique and the metatarsal was fixed according to previously established method. The bone was potted in polyester resin, and the construct was fitted into a materials testing system machine in which load was applied to the plantar aspect of the metatarsal until failure. The two groups were compared using a two-tailed Student t test. RESULTS: The average load-to-failure and stiffness of the chevron osteotomy fixed with the plantar-to-dorsal lag screw were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than the group fixed with more conventional dorsal-to-plantar lag screws. CONCLUSION: Plantar-to-dorsal screw orientation was more stable than the conventional dorsal-to-plantar screw orientation for fixation of the proximal chevron osteotomy. Plantar-to-dorsal screw orientation should be considered when using the chevron proximal first metatarsal osteotomy.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Plantar tissue thickness is related to peak plantar pressure in the high-risk diabetic foot.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship among plantar foot pressure, plantar subcutaneous tissue thickness, severity of neuropathy (vibration perception threshold [VPT]), callus, and BMI in a large group of neuropathic diabetic patients at risk of foot ulceration. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 157 diabetic neuropathic patients (VPT >25 V) without either peripheral vascular or ulcer history were studied. Plantar foot pressure and plantar tissue thickness were measured at each metatarsal head (MTH) using an optical pedobarograph and an ultrasound scanning platform, respectively. RESULTS: A significant association was observed between peak plantar pressure and plantar tissue thickness at all MTHs (-0.26 < r < -0.61, P < 0.0001), with the least pronounced association at the first MTH. In addition, the pressure time integral was significantly associated with plantar tissue thickness (-0.24 < r < -0.57, P < 0.0001). BMI was significantly related to plantar tissue thickness (0.18 < r < 0.45, P < 0.05), but not to peak forefoot pressures. Subjects with callus had significantly reduced plantar tissue thickness at all MTHs except the first MTH and increased peak pressures at all MTHs (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms a strong inverse relationship between plantar tissue thickness and dynamic foot pressure measurements. Long-term follow-up of this patient population will confirm whether reduced plantar tissue thickness predicts the development of diabetic foot ulcers.

Body Mass Index↗

Deep plantar arteries of some mammals, with special reference to the plantar metatarsal arteries.

The plantar metatarsal arteries of some mammals were studied. In the dog, raccoon dog and cat, the second proximal perforating branch was fully developed and produced the plantar metatarsal arteries. These plantar metatarsal arteries ran on the plantar surfaces of the interosseous muscles along the metatarsal bones or intermetatarsal spaces, and gave rise to the digital arteries of the second to fifth toes. In the rabbit, a branch of the medial plantar artery ran transversely on the plantar surfaces of the metatarsal bones at a level distal to the bases of these bones, and produced the plantar metatarsal arteries. These plantar metatarsal arteries ran deep in the interosseous muscles along the metatarsal bones or intermetatarsal spaces, and joined with the digital arteries which were derived from the medial plantar artery. The plantar metatarsal arteries could be classified into four kinds of arteries (sM, sI, dM and dI) in relation to the interosseous muscles and metatarsal bones. This classification largely coincides with that of the human hand and foot (Murakami, 1969, 1971), the monkey hand and foot (Nakai et al., 1987; Hinenoya et al., 1987), and the forepaws of some animals, including the dog and cat (Murakami et al., 1987).

Animals↗

Plantar fascia-specific stretching exercise improves outcomes in patients with chronic plantar fasciitis. A prospective clinical trial with two-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: In a previous investigation, eighty-two patients with chronic proximal plantar fasciitis for a duration of more than ten months completed a randomized, prospective clinical trial. The patients received instructions for either a plantar fascia-stretching protocol or an Achilles tendon-stretching protocol and were evaluated after eight weeks. Substantial differences were noted in favor of the group managed with the plantar fascia-stretching program. The goal of this two-year follow-up study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of the plantar fascia-stretching protocol in patients with chronic plantar fasciitis. METHODS: Phase one of the clinical trial concluded at eight weeks. At the eight-week follow-up evaluation, all patients were instructed in the plantar fascia-stretching protocol. At the two-year follow-up evaluation, a questionnaire consisting of the pain subscale of the Foot Function Index and an outcome survey related to pain, function, and satisfaction with treatment was mailed to the eighty-two subjects who had completed the initial clinical trial. Data were analyzed with use of a mixed-model analysis of covariance for each outcome of interest. RESULTS: Complete data sets were obtained from sixty-six patients. The two-year follow-up results showed marked improvement for all patients after implementation of the plantar fascia-stretching exercises, with an especially high rate of improvement for those in the original group treated with the Achilles tendon-stretching program. In contrast to the eight-week results, the two-year results showed no significant differences between the groups with regard to the worst pain or pain with first steps in the morning. Descriptive analysis of the data showed that 92% (sixty-one) of the sixty-six patients reported total satisfaction or satisfaction with minor reservations. Fifty-one patients (77%) reported no limitation in recreational activities, and sixty-two (94%) reported a decrease in pain. Only sixteen of the sixty-six patients reported the need to seek treatment by a clinician. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the use of the tissue-specific plantar fascia-stretching protocol as the key component of treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis. Long-term benefits of the stretch include a marked decrease in pain and functional limitations and a high rate of satisfaction. This approach can provide the health-care practitioner with an effective, inexpensive, and straightforward treatment protocol.

Adult↗

Plantar soft-tissue thickness predicts high peak plantar pressure in the diabetic foot.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether high plantar foot pressures can be predicted from measurements of plantar soft-tissue thickness in the forefoot of diabetic patients with neuropathy. A total of 157 diabetic patients with neuropathy and at least one palpable foot pulse but without a history of foot ulceration were invited to participate in the study. Plantar tissue thickness was measured bilaterally at each metatarsal head, with patients standing on the same standardized platform. Plantar pressures were measured during barefoot walking using the optical pedobarograph. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to determine the plantar tissue thickness predictive of elevated peak plantar pressure. Tissue thickness cutoff values of 11.05, 7.85, 6.65, 6.55, and 5.05 mm for metatarsal heads 1 through 5, respectively, predict plantar pressure at each respective site greater than 700 kPa, with sensitivity between 73% and 97% and specificity between 52% and 84%. When tissue thickness was used to predict pressure greater than 1,000 kPa, similar results were observed, indicating that high pressure at different levels could be predicted from similar tissue thickness cutoff values. The results of the study indicate that high plantar pressure can be predicted from plantar tissue thickness with high sensitivity and specificity.

Diabetic Foot↗

Interventions for treating plantar heel pain.

BACKGROUND: Ten percent of people may experience pain under the heel (plantar heel pain) at some time. Injections, insoles, heel pads, strapping and surgery have been common forms of treatment offered. The absolute and relative effectiveness of these interventions are poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to identify and evaluate the evidence for effectiveness of treatment in treating plantar heel pain. SEARCH STRATEGY: MEDLINE (from 1966 to December 1997), EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched. Three podiatry journals (The Foot, The Chiropodist (later The Journal of British Podiatric Medicine), and The British Journal of Podiatric Medicine) were handsearched. We contacted known investigators in the field to identify unpublished data or research in progress. Non English language reports were excluded from the review. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised and quasi randomised trials of interventions for plantar heel pain in adults. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently evaluated studies for inclusion, extracted data and assessed study quality. Additional information was obtained by direct contact with investigators. No poolable data were identified. Where measures of variance were available we have calculated the weighted mean differences based on visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. MAIN RESULTS: Eleven randomised trials involving 465 participants were included. Study quality was generally poor, and pooling of data was not possible. All studies measured a reduction in heel pain as the primary outcome. Seven trials evaluated interventions against placebo/dummy or no treatment. There was limited evidence for the effectiveness of topical corticosteroid, administered by iontophoresis in reducing pain. There was no evidence for the effectiveness of injected corticosteroid. There was limited evidence for the effectiveness of low energy extracorporeal shock wave therapy in reducing night pain, resting pain and pressure pain in the short term (12 weeks). In individuals with chronic pain (longer than six months), there was limited evidence for the effectiveness of dorsiflexion night splints in reducing pain. There was no evidence to support the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound, low-intensity laser therapy, exposure to an electron generating device or insoles with magnetic foil. No randomised trials evaluating orthotic devices, surgery, or radiotherapy against a control population were identified. There was limited evidence for the superiority of corticosteroid injections over orthotic devices. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: Although there is limited evidence for the effectiveness of local corticosteroid therapy, the effectiveness of other frequently employed treatments in altering the clinical course of plantar heel pain has not been established in comparative studies. Well designed and conducted randomised studies are required.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Efficacy of plantar loading parameters during gait in terms of reliability, variability, effect of gender and relationship between contact area and plantar pressure.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine plantar pressure and contact areas of the foot inside the athletic shoe during activity. The objectives were to determine if plantar pressure and contact area measurements collected on multiple trials from the same subject were reliable, to determine the variability of measurements between subjects as compared to that found between steps within a single subject, to determine the relationship between contact area and plantar pressure, and to ascertain whether there were any systematic gender differences in these measurements. METHODS: Sixteen healthy adults volunteered for participation in the first part of the study that was designed to determine reliability and variability of the testing methodology. A separate group of fifty healthy high school and collegiate athletes participating in soccer, field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse comprised the second part of the study that was designed to investigate gender differences in terms of normalized midfoot plantar pressure and contact area, and the interrelationship between the two measurements. Data were collected during the midstance phase of gait, using the Pedar in-shoe measurement system (Novel GMBH, St. Paul, MN). Athletes wore their own athletic shoes and performed walking trials on a surface similar to that used in their sport. The foot was divided into four regions based on radiographic measurements. RESULTS: The midfoot region demonstrated excellent reliability across multiple trials of the same subject in contact area and plantar pressure, and the variability between steps within a single subject was small when compared to that between subjects. Normalized midfoot contact area and plantar pressure values were highly correlated with r values of 0.862 on the left foot and .912 on the right foot. No significant differences were found in normalized midfoot contact area or plantar pressure values between males and females. CONCLUSIONS: The Pedar in-shoe pressure measurement system can be used reliably to quantify contact area and plantar pressure beneath the midfoot region during the midstance phase of gait. This measurement technique can now be used in risk factor studies designed to identify individuals at risk for injury to the foot, ankle, and other lower extremity structures.

Adult↗

The effect of plantar fascia release on strain in the spring and long plantar ligaments.

The effect of plantar fascia release on strain in the spring and long plantar ligaments was investigated in 11 cadaveric feet. Strain gauges were placed in the spring and long plantar ligaments of each specimen, and cyclic axial loading was applied until reproducible hysteresis curves were observed in the ligaments before and after plantar fascia release. After release of the plantar fascia, the average strain observed in the spring ligaments at 920N of axial load increased by 52% (p < .001) and in the long plantar ligaments by 94% (p = .04). Longer resting lengths of the ligaments were also observed. Release of the plantar fascia significantly changed force distributions in the foot which may explain the development of deformities and symptoms observed clinically following this procedure.

Cadaver↗

[Internal plantar flap on external plantar pedicle: a technique for the coverage of the whole surface of the foot. Initial report].

The authors present a new type of the classical medial plantar flap which derives its main blood supply from the medial plantar artery, a terminal branch of the posterior tibial artery. Our approach concerning flap dissection has not been modified, but the vascular supply of the flap has been shifted and a reverse blood flow coming from the lateral plantar artery is created after dividing the posterior tibial artery just proximal to its distal bifurcation. The reverse flow medial plantar artery island flap survival is ensured by rich anastomoses that usually occur between the dorsalis pedis and lateral plantar arteries. However, the venous return is also ensured by a reverse flow as in the case of lateral plantar artery. In addition, this flap presents a wide arc of rotation that is suitable for a variety of local defects, allowing cover of the foot. This new technique mainly provides a perfect indication for cover of distal weight bearing area defects of the foot when the distally based plantar flap is not possible for anatomical aberrations and/or in the presence of an unreliable blood supply of the flap itself. Moreover, it deserves a general description of a new type of flap pedicle design that we denote by the term "reverse flow Y-V extended flap pedicle". We intend to provide the readers with more details concerning clinical applications of this new surgical procedure.

Adult↗

Neurosensory testing of the medial calcaneal and medial plantar nerves in patients with plantar heel pain.

Eighty-two patients with a chief complaint of plantar heel pain were evaluated for sensory abnormalities within the cutaneous distribution of both the medial calcaneal nerve and the medial plantar nerve, using quantitative neurosensory testing with a pressure-specified sensory device. The results showed that 22.68% of the patients displayed isolated abnormal sensory function within the distribution of the medial calcaneal nerve, whereas 49.48% of the patients displayed abnormal function within the distribution of both the medial calcaneal and the medial plantar nerves. Thus, 72.17% of the patients displayed abnormal sensory function within the distribution of the medial calcaneal nerve. Statistical analysis of the results, using the Pearson chi-square statistic and odds ratio, indicated that a significant percentage of patients with plantar heel pain, even early in the clinical course of plantar heel pain, display abnormal sensibility within the branches of the posterior tibial nerve, and specifically, within the distribution of the medial calcaneal nerve (P <.0008) and the medial plantar nerve (P <.0001).

Adult↗

Hypoglycaemic neuropathy: occurrence of axon terminals in plantar skin and plantar muscle of diabetic BB/Wor rats treated with insulin implants.

It is generally believed that diabetic neuropathy is due to chronic hyperglycaemia. However, experience from insulinoma patients and experimental studies show that hypoglycaemia may also cause neuropathy. Accordingly, the plantar nerves of diabetic eu-/hypoglycaemic BB/Wor rats treated with insulin implants exhibit a distinct neuropathy. To what extent hypoglycaemic neuropathy affects axon terminals in skin and muscle is unknown. In the present study we examine the occurrence of epidermal axon profiles and the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in plantar skin, and of end plate axon terminals in a plantar muscle of diabetic BB/Wor rats subjected to long periods of hypoglycaemia. The number of protein gene product-immunoreactive axon profiles was found to be normal in heel skin biopsy specimens from eu-/hypoglycaemic rats, but many profiles were short and thin. The content of CGRP in the skin biopsy samples was significantly below normal. After staining with antibodies against the vesicular acetylcholine transporter protein, the occurrence of end plate axon terminals was significantly reduced in sections from the flexor hallucis brevis muscle of eu-/hypoglycaemic rats. Moreover, the end plate axon terminals tended to be abnormally small in these rats. We conclude that the hypoglycaemic neuropathy seen in plantar nerve trunks of diabetic BB/Wor rats treated with insulin implants is accompanied by mild alterations in the epidermal innervation of plantar skin and a more obviously abnormal nerve terminal pattern in plantar muscle.

Animals↗

Various applications of the medial plantar flap to cover the defects of the plantar foot, posterior heel, and ankle.

The medial plantar fasciocutaneous flap provides structurally similar tissue to plantar foot, posterior heel, and ankle defects with its thick glabrous plantar skin, shock-absorbing fibrofatty subcutaneous tissue, and plantar fascia. During the past 4 years, 24 patients (20 men, 4 women) with skin and soft-tissue defects over the plantar foot, posterior heel, or ankle were treated. They ranged in age from 20 to 42 years (mean, 24 y). The medial plantar flap was transposed to the defects in four different ways: proximally pedicled sensorial island flaps (N = 18), reverse-flow island flaps (N = 2), free flaps (N = 2), and cross-foot flaps (N = 2). Flap size varied from a width of 2 to 5.5 cm and a length of 5 to 7.5 cm. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 18 months (mean, 9 mo). Partial flap loss was observed in one free flap and one reverse-flow island flap. Partial skin graft lost in the donor site required regrafting in one patient. Durable, sensate coverage of the defects was achieved in all patients.

Adult↗

Paradoxical transcutaneous oxygen response to cutaneous warming on the plantar foot surface: a caution for interpretation of plantar foot TcPO2 measurements.

We examined the effect of cutaneous warming on the transcutaneous oxygen measurement (TcPO2) at standard locations below the knee, on the dorsal foot, on the plantar right great toe, and on the plantar surface under the second metatarsal head of 656 diabetic and 16 nondiabetic subjects. All subjects underwent a directed medical history, physical examination, and neurovascular lower extremity evaluation and assessment of autonomic neuropathy. Associations between autonomic neuropathy and TcPO2 were tested using two-way analysis of variance and multiple linear regression. An unexpected, statistically significant fall in TcPO2 occurred with cutaneous warming from 37 degrees C to 44 degrees C on the plantar great toe surface that did not differ by presence of autonomic neuropathy, or the presence of diabetes (mean change: -8.82 mmHG, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -7.70 to -9.93). The TcPO2 measured at the plantar metatarsal head site also fell with cutaneous warming from 37 degrees C to 44 degrees C (mean change: -9.67 mmHG, 95% CI: -7.75 to -11.59). As expected, the TcPO2 increased with cutaneous warming from 37 degrees C to 44 degrees C on the dorsal foot site (mean rise:= 35.61 mmHg, 95% CI: 34.18 to 37.04). The mean TcPO2 at any site did not differ by presence of autonomic neuropathy at either 37 degrees C or 44 degrees C. We conclude that cutaneous warming leads to a paradoxical fall in TcPO2 on the plantar foot surface that does not depend on the presence of autonomic neuropathy or diabetes. Caution in interpretation of ambient versus warmed plantar TcPO2 values is recommended.

Adult↗

Plantar fascia release through a transverse plantar incision.

A transverse plantar incision for plantar fascial release was assessed for pain relief, numbness, and subsequent heel pad symptoms. Twenty-seven feet in 26 patients who underwent plantar fascia release were reviewed with a minimum follow-up of 2 years after surgery (average, 37.6 months). Comprehensive data were obtained on 25 feet (24 patients) (93% response rate). The plantar fascia origin was completely transected in all cases. This led to complete resolution of symptoms in 19 feet and residual minor symptoms in six feet. After 2 years, four patients had developed recurrent symptoms, two in the area of surgery and two on the dorsum of the foot, in association with a pes planus foot. Two patients had some continued persistence of heel pain after surgery, although significantly less pain than preoperatively.Thus, 76% of patients had complete relieve of there symptoms, 12% of patients had mild symptoms not affecting daily activities, and 12% of patients had moderate symptoms that limited some activities. No patient suffered heel pad symptoms or numbness after surgery. It is concluded that plantar fascia release through a transverse plantar incision is a successful procedure for long-term relief of symptoms which avoids unnecessary heel pad numbness and scar morbidity. The benefits of a transverse incision include greater intraoperative vision, to ensure adequate release and spur excision, and an incision parallel to the medial calcaneal branches of the tibial nerve.

Adult↗