This article is part of the supplement: 1st Congress of the International Foot & Ankle Biomechanics (i-FAB) community .

Oral presentation

Energetics of the intrinsic foot muscles in plantar fasciitis

R Chang¹ , R Larsen², J Kent-Braun² and J Hamill¹

¹  Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Massachusetts, USA

²  Muscle Physiology Laboratory, University of Massachusetts, USA

author email corresponding author email

from 1st Congress of the International Foot & Ankle Biomechanics (i-FAB) community
Bologna, Italy. 4–6 September 2008

Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 2008, 1(Suppl 1):O1doi:10.1186/1757-1146-1-S1-O1

Published:	26 September 2008

First paragraph (this article has no abstract)

Intrinsic foot muscles and the plantar fascia provide mechanical support for the medial longitudinal arch in gait [1]. In an injury to the plantar fascia (i.e. plantar fasciitis), there may be an increase in load on the intrinsic foot muscles resulting in increased metabolic demand. Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (³¹P MRS) has shown that the ratio of inorganic phosphate to phosphocreatine ([Pi]/[PCr]) within a muscle increases proportionately with muscle work at low to moderate levels [2]. The purpose of this study was to determine whether walking elicits a relatively higher increase in activity of the intrinsic foot muscles of feet with plantar fasciitis relative to healthy feet.