| Gait Retraining and Exercise Protocols for Modifying Pronated Foot Posture and Addressing Lower Extrem Extremity Loading |
| Paper ID : 1104-SPORTCONGRESS (R2) |
| Authors |
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Vahid Talebi *, Somayeh khaligh doust Department of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Maragheh, Maragheh, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Excessive foot pronation is a prevalent biomechanical deviation associated with medial longitudinal arch collapse, altered lower-limb kinematics, and increased injury risk. While orthotic interventions provide mechanical support, they often induce dependency and fail to correct underlying neuromuscular deficiencies. Recent research has emphasized the potential of active interventions specifically, exercise-based strengthening and gait retraining to restore functional alignment and optimize lower-extremity loading. This review integrates current findings on both approaches to identify the most effective corrective strategies and their underlying mechanisms. Methods:Evidence was synthesized from Sánchez-Rodríguez et al. (2020) and Mousavi et al. (2024), representing two complementary approaches: (1) a 9-week intrinsic–extrinsic–core strengthening protocol for adults with pronated feet, and (2) a systematic review and meta-analysis of gait retraining methods targeting pronation. Key outcome measures included Foot Posture Index (FPI), rearfoot eversion, medial longitudinal arch (MLA) height, and kinetic load distribution. Mechanistic interpretations were derived from reported kinematic, muscular, and proprioceptive adaptations. Results:Therapeutic exercise produced significant improvement in foot posture, with FPI decreasing from 8.1 ± 1.7 to 6.4 ± 2.1 (p = 0.001), confirming the efficacy of intrinsic muscle strengthening and core stabilization. The most effective exercises included short-foot training, resisted inversion–eversion, and hip abduction, which improved MLA stability and reduced tibial internal rotation. Gait-retraining studies demonstrated notable reductions in pronation when modifying foot progression angle, shifting the center of pressure laterally, and adopting a forefoot or midfoot strike pattern. Increasing step cadence by 5–10% further reduced ground reaction and braking forces. Combined, these strategies enhanced postural control and redistributed mechanical load. Conclusion: Active rehabilitation strategies particularly short-foot and resisted inversion–eversion exercises integrated with forefoot strike and foot angle retraining offer superior, sustainable correction of pronated foot posture. Future research should employ larger, longitudinal trials combining muscular and motor retraining to validate long-term adaptations and refine individualized rehabilitation frameworks. |
| Keywords |
| Pronation, Gait Retraining, Foot-Core Exercise, Medial Longitudinal Arch, Lower-Limb Biomechanics, Rehabilitation |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
