Analysis of Orthosis Materials in Treatment of Symptoms of Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
Date of Award
Summer 6-25-2023
Document Type
Non Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Orthotics and Prosthetics
Department
Kinesiology
Abstract
Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) is a foot and ankle condition where the posterior tibialis tendon loses varying degrees of function, potentially causing a person’s medial longitudinal arch (MLA) to collapse and develop pes planus or pes valgus (flat foot deformity, flat foot deformity with valgus hindfoot tilt; Yao et al., 2015). PTTD has been established as one of the main causes of pes planus development in adults (Gómez-Jurado et al., 2021). While research studies show that foot and ankle foot orthoses are effective non-surgical treatment options for Stage I & II PTTD, the authors of these studies barely describe what kind of materials were used within their studies to manufacture the foot orthoses used. The purpose of this graduate project is to discover what combination of orthotic top cover materials and a polypropylene base layer will provide optimal patient treatment and recovery outcomes for those diagnosed with Stage I & II PTTD. PTTD was chosen due to the gaps within the literature on selecting orthosis materials for specifically treating PTTD.