So What Exactly Is Progressive Collapsing Foot Deformity?

Progressive collapsing foot deformity is a new nomenclature coined by a group of expert foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons who published numerous articles on adult flatfoot deformities. The consensus statements were published in 2020 due to concern that traditional terminologies such as "posterior tibial tendon dysfunction," "adult acquired flatfoot deformity," and numerous others could be confusing to physicians/health care professionals and do not adequately encompass the deformity. The consensus group also designed a new classification system to simplify the decision-making process that could be reproducible among surgeons. This article provides an overview of the consensus statements on surgical goals and summarizes some of the newest articles on progressive collapsing foot deformity, including reliability, diagnostic accuracy, and roles of advanced imaging along with soft-tissue reconstruction. Although the new classification system has room for improvement, it offers an option to aid surgeons in approaching this complex 3-dimensional deformity and individualizing treatment for each patient's unique anatomy.