The synovial joints of the human foot.

The human foot is considered an organ with an assortment of tissues with different morphological characteristics and well defined limits, but effectively has a simple functionality when static that becomes extremely complex when in movement. Its complex structure, comprised of an elastic and resistant skin covering a bone framework, joints, muscles, tendons, veins and nerves, can be compared to an efficient mechanical assembly. After a long and extraordinary evolutive journey, the human foot has undergone numerous changes to perfect its function; it has lost most of its grabbing function whilst gaining new characteristics that have ultimately allowed the modern man to stand upright.

Plantar pressure distribution analysis in normal weight young women and men with normal and claw feet: a cross-sectional study.

We analyzed the plantar support in 72 normal-weight young voluntaries (46 women, 26 men), by a baropodometric platform. We considered subjects with claw foot (CFS) and subjects with normal foot (NFS). We found a significant reduction of total plantar support surface in the CFS (P < 0.

Approach to the study of human anatomy.

The first thing to do to describe the human body is to define the anatomical position and the bilateral symmetry which characterise every Metazoi (man included) and permit us to study the body in its two symmetric halves; the left and right sides are the result of a virtual cut on a vertical and median plan. This is followed by a resume of the general structures and the vocabulary of the outer shapes of the human body; its direction (it will be helpful to use the virtual geometric parallelepiped made by three couples of planes one orthogonal to the other); levels of structural organization (chemical, cellular, tissue, organ and the system level; the highest is the organism level). After that, rules and principles are enunciated in the four fundamental laws of anatomy regarding the organ structures and their systems studied by the surface, gross (macroscopic), systemic, regional and constitutional type anatomy.

Comparison of ground reaction forces between obese and control young adults during quiet standing on a baropodometric platform.

Objective: To determine whether centre of pressure location, plantar surface areas, or plantar pressures differ between obese and control young adults during quiet standing.Design. Cross-sectional study in university setting.

Symmetry of healthy adult feet: role of orthostatic footprint at computerized baropodometry and of digital formula.

Morphological aspects of orthostatic footprints (anterior heel, isthmus, posterior heel), using computerized baropodometry and of the digital formula were studied in 97 subjects (37 males, 60 females; median age: 20.9+/-1.56) at the Medical School of Palermo, Italy.