Morton’s neuroma Nervous System Diseases
Conditions
Interventions
A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 36 asymptomatic volunteers and 45 participants diagnosed with Morton’s neuroma. The JC Mat optical plantar pressure analyzer was employed to assess arch
Sponsors
Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: College and university undergraduates or youths who had graduated from college within the last 1-3 years. Participants in the Morton’s Neuroma (MN) group were current or former collegiate-level athletes competing in Division A or B. According to survey records, their sports disciplines included sprinting, marathon running, gymnastics, dance, swimming, volleyball, basketball and rugby. Most participants had experience in specific sports competitions during the National University and College Athletic Games in Taiwan. The control group comprised 36 healthy college and university students selected from 45 asymptomatic volunteers for comparative analysis.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Incomplete execution of experimental procedures 2. Body mass index (BMI) outside the recommended range established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Asia-Pacific guidelines, specifically between 18.5 and 23.9 kg/m2 3. Presentation of hospital certificates or self-disclosure of any prior lower limb fractures or surgeries 4. Self-reported instances of persistent or intermittent foot pain symptoms within the preceding 6 months 5. Occurrence of cartilaginous ligament tears or lower extremity dislocations within the past 6 months 6. Documentation provided by school coaches or athletic trainers regarding competition or training-related injuries, including skeletal arthritis, calcaneal spurs, and neuropathies in the lower extremities, excluding MN and metatarsalgia 7. Congenital or acquired deformities of the foot, keratotic lesions on the plantar surface, foot ulcers and/or blisters, skeletal rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy 8. Received subcutaneous or intramuscular injections (such as hyaluronic acid, steroids and platelet-rich plasma) or had undergone minimally invasive surgery on the foot, ankle and lower extremity within the preceding 6 months
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Measured at a single timepoint: 1. Plantar load distributions across five regions (forefoot, midfoot, rearfoot, medial foot and lateral foot) and six subregions (medial and lateral metatarsals, medial and lateral longitudinal arches, and medial and lateral heels) of the foot analysed using the JC Mat optical plantar pressure analyzer. The analysis included identifying regions of increased or decreased plantar pressure in participants with Morton’s neuroma (MN). 2. Center of gravity distribution between the symptomatic and asymptomatic feet in participants with MN analysed using the JC Mat optical plantar pressure analyzer. 3. Hallux valgus angles between the groups analysed using color footprint images, determined by the intersection of two lines. Various categories of hallux positions were classified based on angle variations: varus (-1° to -5°), straight (0°), valgus I (1° to 5°), valgus II (6° to 10°), valgus III (11° to 15°), and valgus IV (= 16°). 4. Static rearfoot angle for each participant determined using Biomech 2019 Posture Analysis software. Rearfoot postures were classified based on angle variations as varus ( 5°). | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Measured at a single timepoint: 1. Arch index (AI) of the foot for each participant classified using the AI ratio method developed by Cavanagh and Rodgers. The AI was calculated as the ratio of the area of the middle third of the footprint divided by the entire footprint area excluding the toes, i.e., AI=B/(A+B+C). According to Cavanagh and Rodgers, an AI ratio of less than 0.21 defines a high-arched foot, 0.21 to 0.26 a normal-arched foot, and greater than 0.26 a flat-arched foot. 2. Static footprint images were visualized and interpreted to identify foot pressure distribution patterns and potential callus formation. 3. Participant demographics and characteristics: The study recorded descriptive statistics, including mean age, height, mass and BMI, among the groups at a 95% confidence level. 4. Soft-tissue pain and skeletal alignment examinations for participants were conducted by an experienced physiatrist at a rehabilitation clinic in Taipei, Taiwan. This procedure objectively confirmed whether participants met the study’s recruitment criteria, with assistance from clinical staff, and empirically evaluated their musculoskeletal pain locations and associated physiological symptoms. | — |
Countries
Taiwan
Contacts
Public ContactTong-Hsien Chow
Outcome results
None listed