Static Foot Hyperpronation Monitoring in Asymptomatic Young Individuals During Level and Sloped Gait Using an Instrumented Treadmill

Foot hyperpronation is a common anatomical misalignment that may contribute to the development of both localized and distant musculoskeletal overuse injuries. Advancements in modern technology may enable the detection of biomechanical changes in dynamic conditions that cannot be captured through conventional foot alignment assessments. This study aimed to investigate potential differences in spatiotemporal, dynamic, and center of pressure (COP)-related gait parameters, between individuals with foot hyperpronation (n = 21) and those with a neutral foot type (n = 21) under various walking conditions, using an instrumented treadmill. These conditions included walking downhill at −20% slope at 3.5 km·h−1, and at −10% slope at 5.0 km·h−1, level (0%) at 5.0 km·h−1, and uphill at +10% slope at 3.5 km·h−1 and +20% slope at 2.5 km·h−1, each lasting five minutes. The results showed no significant differences in stride length and time, foot rotation, step width, cadence, or gait phase durations between the two groups. However, individuals with hyperpronated feet exhibited a more forward and mediolaterally displaced COP, higher vertical ground reaction forces (vGRFs) at the midfoot, and lower vGRFs at the lateral forefoot. Instrumented treadmills enable clinicians and sports scientists to detect specific traits in individuals with foot hyperpronation, which would otherwise go undetected through static assessments.