The plantar fascia - concept & research
The treatment concept of my practice is based on years of research work, which has been published in international journals and evaluated by globally recognised experts in the field of foot and ankle surgery.
The plantar fascia is a strong ligament that stabilises the arch of the foot. It runs along the sole of the foot, originates at the heel bone and runs in a fan shape to the metatarsophalangeal joints of all five toes. The supportive function of the plantar fascia can only work optimally if the bony structures and joints are correctly aligned with each other when standing. (see Video, Figures 1 and 2).
Figure 1 and 2: Lateral view and top view of a foot skeleton with plantar fascia marked in blue. This strong ligament stabilises the longitudinal arch of the foot by providing tension along the sole of the foot.
Many foot and ankle complaints - including fallen arches, flat feet, splayfeet, hallux valgus, hallux rigidus, metatarsal arthrosis and hammertoes - result from a disturbed interaction between the stabilising plantar fascia and the bony structures and their joints (for more information, see the websites on hallux valgus and fallen arches).
The aim of surgical treatment is to restore this biomechanical interaction between the plantar fascia and the bony structures in order to ensure the best possible natural function and stability of the foot (see Hallux valgus and fallen arches websites).
My internationally published treatment concept for the correction of fallen arches and flat feet has been studied by over a thousand colleagues specialising in foot and ankle surgery in a renowned international journal. For the first time, it offers clear and practice-orientated guidelines for the surgical treatment of these deformities.
Merian M, Kaim A
The Plantar Fascia Talar Head Correlation: A Radiographic Parameter With a Distinct Threshold to Validate Flatfoot Deformity and Its Corrective Surgery on Conventional Weightbearing Radiographs.
Foot & Ankle Int. 2022; 43(3): 414-425.
DOI: 10.1177/10711007211052258 PMID: 34802299