Investigation of the relationship between foot intrinsic muscle strength and balance and functional performance

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between foot intrinsic muscle strength and balance and functional performance. The study was conducted with 80 healthy young subjects, 39 women and 41 men, between the ages 18-36, with an average age of 25.99±4.4 years. Muscle strenght of abductor hallucis, flexor hallucis brevis, flexor digitorum brevis, flexor digiti minimi was measured with a digital hand-held dynamometer. Balance was assessed with Biodex-BioSway ™. Postural Stability Test, Stability Limit Test and Modified Sensori Organization Test (MSOT) were applied subjects. Functional performance assessments were performed with vertical jump test and single leg hop test. The relationship between muscle strength and balance was analyzed using Pearson's correlation test. There were low correlations between dominant FHB muscle strength, non-dominant FDB and FDM muscle strength and eyes closed-foam surface MSOT results (respectively, r:0.24, r:0.27 r:0.26; p<0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between abduktor hallucis, flexor hallucis brevis, flexor digitorum brevis, flexor digiti minimi muscle strength and Postural Stability Test, Stability Limit Test and open eyes- firm surface MSOT results. There was no significant relationship between Abduktor hallucis muscle strength and the functional performance tests of both feet. There were significant relationships between flexor hallucis brevis, flexor digitorum brevis, flexor digiti minimi muscles and vertical jump test (respectively; r: 0.330, r: 0.2298, r: 0295; p <0.05) and single leg hop test (respectively; r: 0.374, r : 0.309, r: 306; p <0.05). As a result; in healthy young subjects, while maintaining postural stability, the importance of intrinsic muscle strength increases as balance conditions become more difficult. Intrinsic flexor muscle strength is associated with functional performance. Including specific exercises to strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the foot in exercise programs where functional performance and balance should be improved, will contribute positively to rehabilitation practices.