Salford volunteers put their best foot forward to help arthritis research
AROUND 50 people in Salford are to take part in a study aimed at finding out more about a common but little-known foot deformity which has been linked arthritic problems in later life.
The study, which has been funded by a grant of £38,000 over 18 months from the Arthritis Research Campaign, will be carried out by researchers at the University of Salford.
The research team is hoping to find out more about the deformity, called functional hallux limitus, which is characterised by restricted movement of the big toe joint, and is often associated with flat feet. It causes other areas of the body, such as the ankle, knee or spine, to compensate, for the restricted movement, leading to an unnatural walking pattern.
The chronic condition is believed to affect middle-aged people without producing any symptoms, and it is not until later in life that its effects – which include a form of arthritis in the feet – are seen.
"We'll be measuring the motion of the foot during walking in about 50 volunteer, and looking to see whether there is a relationship between the position and motion of the rear foot and the motion of the big toe joint," explained research fellow Christopher Nester.
"We want to find out more about this condition, investigate its precise characteristics, what causes it and how it affects the other joints in the legs. We think functional hallux limitus affects a significant number of people and hope to determine whether it's worth devising a treatment for it."
The Arthritis Research Campaign is the fifth biggest medical research charity in the UK, and raised almost £23 last year to fund work into all forms of rheumatic disease.
