Different foot types and spinopelvic mechanics: a cross-sectional study

Aim. This study aimed to examine the effect of foot posture on spinopelvic alignment in athletic and non-athletic adult males. Materials and methods. Sixty male participants, aged 18–27 years, including athletes (n = 30) and non-athletes (n = 30), were recruited based on convenience sampling through direct person-to-person contact. Within each group, participants presented with normal arch (FPI 0–5) or flatfoot (FPI 6–10) conditions. Spinal (lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, vertebral rotation, apical deviation, scoliotic angle, sagittal and coronal imbalance) and pelvic (tilt, torsion, and rotation) parameters were measured using 4D raster-stereography. Results. Individuals with flatfoot exhibited significantly greater (p < 0.001) sagittal imbalance, pelvic obliquity, vertebral rotation, pelvic torsion DL-DR, pelvic rotation, and coronal imbalance compared to those with normal arches, regardless of whether the participants were athletes or not. Conclusion. Foot posture variations beyond normal arches, such as pes planus, were associated with altered spinopelvic alignment. These findings highlight the biomechanical implications of foot structure on the orientation of the proximal kinetic chain.