Lower limb laterality versus foot structure in men and women

Study aim: The aim of the study was to determine connections between the functional asymmetry of limbs and the morphological asymmetry of feet.

Material and methods: The study population consisted of 56 students: 30 females (mean age 20.29 ± 0.59 years) and 26 males (mean age 20.41 ± 0.78 years). The measurements of body build were taken with classical instruments. Body build was assessed on the basis of body height, body mass, and BMI. Seven features of the foot and 8 indices of foot arches were assessed. Assessment of laterality in upper and lower limbs was conducted on the basis of data from repeated interviews, and then verified with simple motor tests that imitated characteristic functions of the limbs. Asymmetry indices were calculated in order to determine asymmetries of the features. Mollison’s index was applied to assess dimorphic differences.

Results: Features that were statistically different in the foot of the dominant limb and in the foot of the non-dominant limb were: among the group of females, the foot length without hindfoot, and the Clarke’s angle; among the group of males - the foot length without toes. Analyses of results of this study do not allow for a claim that laterality of lower extremities has a considerable impact on indices of longitudinal and transverse foot arches.

Conclusions: The following conclusions were formulated on the basis of the conducted analysis regarding the group of subjects with homogeneous right laterality:

- in females, the dominant limb’s foot is characterized by a shorter bone arm lever for dorsiflexors;

- in males, the dominant limb’s foot is characterized by a shorter bone arm lever for plantaflexors.