The Influence of Short-term Restriction of Unilateral First Metatarsophalangeal Joint on the Contralateral Lower Limb Joints

Abstract

To study the effect of restriction of unilateral movement of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (FMJ) on the biomechanics and gait of the contralateral lower limb. 8 adult college students completed walking with barefoot and left foot FMJ constraint (FMJC) respectively. The time node for collecting gait and biomechanical parameters is (I) 0min barefoot walking, (II) Walk immediately with FMJC at 0min, (III) walk after 30min with FMJC, (IV) walk barefoot after 30min with FMJC; Calculate the gait parameters on the contralateral side of the FMJC, the net joint torque and the joint moment arms of the hip, knee and ankle joints. Compared with the time node I, the maximum dorsiflexion angle and the maximum plantar flexion angle of the unrestricted side ankle joint at time node III increased significantly (p<0.05), and the maximum plantar flexion moment and maximum dorsiflexion moment increased significantly (p<0.05), the power of the ankle joint increased significantly (p<0.05); the torque and power of the hip and knee joints on the unrestricted side increased significantly (p<0.05); On the unrestricted side, there was no significant difference in stride length, swing phase, support phase and step length (p>0.05). Short-term unilateral FMJC will cause biomechanical compensation and compensation transmission in the unrestricted lower limb joints. That is, the unrestricted hip, knee, and ankle joints maintain normal gait by strengthening their work, and the transmission of compensation is enhanced from top to bottom.