Relationship between the metatarsophalangeal joint angle and anthropometric measures and foot posture among older adults

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the first metatarsophalangeal joint angle (Ang-I), the age, anthropometric measures and foot posture of older adults. Methods: The sample was composed of 227 older women with a mean age of 69.6 (+/- 6.8) years and 172 older men with a mean age of 69.4 (+/- 6.7) years. The studied variables were: the width and circumference of the metatarsal heads, the height of the first metatarsal head and the dorsum of the foot, the length of the foot, the Ang-I and fifth metatarsophalangeal joint angles, the arch index and the foot posture index. The measurements were taken with analog instruments. The data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation. Results: There was no association between Ang-I and age or arch index, but there were positive associations between Ang-I and the width and circumference of the metatarsal heads, the foot posture index and the fifth metatarsophalangeal angle. There was a negative association between Ang-I and the height of the dorsum of the foot. Conclusions: Relationships were found between greater Ang-I values and greater widths and circumferences of the forefeet, greater fifth metatarsophalangeal angles and greater pronation of the feet and smaller values for the height of the dorsum of the foot.