Differences in lower-extremity kinematics between the male military personnel with and without plantar fasciitis.

Objective: To evaluate the factors that influence gait by comparing lower extremity kinematics during the stance phase of the gait cycle between individuals with and without plantar fasciitis.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: Motion analysis research laboratory.

Participants: Thirty subjects with plantar fasciitis and 30 aged-matched controls.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Range of motion of the lower extremity and multi-segment foot during gait using a three-dimensional motion analysis system.

Results: The plantar fasciitis group showed significant differences in motion in the multi-segment foot, ankle, knee, and hip from the control group during various subphases of the stance phase. Specifically, relative to the control group, the plantar fasciitis group had more rearfoot adduction, forefoot eversion, ankle abduction, and hip abduction. They also had less midfoot dorsiflexion, forefoot dorsiflexion, knee extension, knee external rotation, and hip extension (all Ps < 0.05).

Conclusions: Individuals with plantar fasciitis exhibited more flexibility in the ankle-foot complex and poorer quality of lower-extremity movement than the group that did not have plantar fasciitis. Thus, differences in structures in both the ankle-foot complex as well as those in the hip and knee joints appear to be associated with the presence of plantar fasciitis.