OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between ankle and foot mobility and the peak of the vertical ground reaction force, as a percentage of body weight, generated during the gait stance phase. METHOD: Fifteen men with mean age of 22.1 ± 2.7 years (range: 19-28) and fifteen women with mean age of 24.20 ± 5.24 years (range: 19-34) with normal feet were studied. The exclusion criteria were foot deformities or a history of trauma or diseases that might have harmed both the musculoskeletal system and gait pattern. The ankle and foot mobility was obtained by means of goniometry on the plantar flexion, dorsiflexion, hallux extension and toe extension. The peak of the vertical ground reaction force was obtained by baropodometry using the FSCAN TM system. The Spearman statistical test was used to identify correlations. RESULTS: Males presented lower mobility values and higher peak values for the vertical ground reaction force, in comparison with females. There was no difference between the right and left foot. For females, there were statistically significant negative correlations between the values for plantar flexion and vertical force, and between the values for toe extension and vertical force. For males, there were statistically significant negative correlations between the values for dorsiflexion and vertical force. Among the remaining values, no significant correlation was found. CONCLUSION: There was a relationship between mobility and the vertical force generated during gait.
foot; mobility; ground reaction force
