Abstract

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a prevalent degenerative disease that significantly impairs daily functioning owing to joint instability, pain, and stiffness. Foot posture asymmetry and dynamic stability could play a role in functional disability in individuals with KOA, yet limited research has examined this relationship. Objectives: This study investigated the associations between foot posture asymmetry, dynamic stability, and disability in the Gujarati adult population with KOA compared with healthy controls. Methods and Materials: An observational study was conducted with 40 participants (20 patients with KOA and 20 healthy controls). Foot posture asymmetry was assessed using the Foot Posture Index (FPI), dynamic stability was measured with the Sense Balance MiniBoard (Sensamove, Netherlands), and functional disability was evaluated using the modified Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (mWOMAC). Non-parametric tests were used for group comparisons, and Spearman’s rho was used to determine correlations. Results: Patients with KOA demonstrated significantly higher FPI scores, indicating more pronated feet (mean FPI: right 6.2, left 5.8) than controls (right 2.35, left 2.2). Dynamic stability was also impaired in KOA patients, with lower mediolateral (50.25%) and anteroposterior (62.45%) stability than in controls. A positive correlation was found between foot posture asymmetry and disability (r = 0.51; p = 0.02). KOA severity correlated moderately with foot posture asymmetry (r = 0.656, p < 0.01) and strongly with disability (r = 0.80, p < 0.01). Conclusion: This study found a very weak to moderate association between foot posture asymmetry, dynamic stability, and disability in the Gujarati adult population with KOA.

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