Arch height change during sit-to-stand: an alternative for the navicular drop test

A study was conducted to determine the reliability and validity of a new foot mobility assessment method that utilizes digital images to measure the change in dorsal arch height measured at 50% of the length of the foot during the Sit-to-Stand test.

Methods: Two hundred - seventy five healthy subjects participated in the study.

The medial aspect of each foot was photographed with a digital camera while each subject stood with 50% body weight on each foot as well as in sitting for a non-weight bearing image. The dorsal arch height was measured at 50% of the total length of the foot on both weight bearing and non-weight bearing images to determine the change in dorsal arch height.

The reliability and validity of the measurements were then determined.

Results: The mean difference in dorsal arch height between non-weight bearing and weight bearing was 10 millimeters. The change in arch height during the Sit-to-Stand test was shown to have good to high levels of intra- and inter-reliability as well as validity using x-rays as the criterion measure.

Conclusions: While the navicular drop test has been widely used as a clinical method to assess foot mobility, poor levels of inter-rater reliability have been reported.

The results of the current study suggest that the change in dorsal arch height during the Sit-to-Stand test offers the clinician a reliable and valid alternative to the navicular drop test.

Author: Thomas G McPoil, Mark W Cornwall, Lynn Medoff, Bill Vicenzino, Kelly Forsberg and Dana Hilz
Credits/Source: Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 2008, 1:3

Published on: 2008-07-28

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