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

Oral presentation

Plantar fascia thickness and first metatarsal mobility in patients with diabetes and neuropathy

Smita Rao¹ , Charles L Saltzman² and H John Yack³

¹  Ithaca College-Center for Foot and Ankle Research, Rochester, NY, USA

²  Department of Orthopaedics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

³  Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, The University of Iowa, IA, 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):O4doi:10.1186/1757-1146-1-S1-O4

Published:	26 September 2008

First paragraph (this article has no abstract)

Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus and Neuropathy (DN) are at increased risk for ulcer development at sites exposed to repetitive, high plantar loading. Limited joint mobility may contribute to increased forefoot loading by limiting foot flexibility and restraining the forward progression of body weight during the stance phase of gait. However data substantiating the causes and consequences of limited mobility in forefoot loading is limited. The purpose of this study was to compare plantar fascia thickness, passive and active 1^st metatarsal (Met) mobility and loading in patients with and without DN.