title: EVALUATION OF METATARSAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE BIOMECHANICS OF 332 NORMAL FEET USING THE METHOD OF MEASURING RELATIVE LENGTHS.
abstract: To identify the mean normal length of the metatarsals and the most common metatarsal formulas through a simple measurement method, thereby providing surgeons with data for planning treatment on symptomatic individuals with biometric abnormalities of the foot.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated and measured dorsoplantar weight-bearing radiographs of normal adult feet (83 males and 83 females).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found relative mean lengths for metatarsus I of 125.4 mm for males and 115.1 mm for females; for metatarsus II, 127.8 mm for males and 117.3 mm for females; for metatarsus III, 123.4 mm for males and 113.5 mm for females; for metatarsus IV, 114.2 mm for males and 105.3 mm for females; for metatarsus V, 99.5 mm for males and 91.7 mm for females. The mean forefoot width was 87.1 mm for males and 80.8 mm for females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Feet with index minus occurred most frequently in both sexes, although all three metatarsal formulas can be considered to be normal patterns. The mean normal pattern for males and females respectively was the following: metatarsus I 2.4 mm and 2.2 mm shorter than metatarsus II; metatarsus III 4.4 mm and 3.8 mm shorter than metatarsus II; metatarsus IV 9.2 mm and 8.2 mm shorter than metatarsus III; metatarsus V 14.7 mm and 13.6 mm shorter than metatarsus IV.
authors.affiliation: PhD. Professor and Head of the Foot Medicine and Surgery Sector, ABC School of Medicine, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barrôco
authors.affiliation: Associate Full Professor and Head of the Discipline of Orthopedics, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Federal University of Sâo Paulo (UNIFESP), Sâo Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nery
authors.affiliation: Orthopedist and former Trainee in the Foot Medicine and Surgery Sector, ABC School of Medicine, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Favero
authors.affiliation: Orthopedist and former Specialization Resident in the Foot Medicine and Surgery Sector, ABC School of Medicine, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mombach
authors.affiliation: Orthopedist in the Foot Medicine and Surgery Sector, ABC School of Medicine, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Oswaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Orthopedist in the Foot Medicine and Surgery Sector, ABC School of Medicine, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.affiliation: Orthopedist in the Foot Medicine and Surgery Sector, ABC School of Medicine, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Trainee Orthopedist (fourth-year Specialization Resident) in the Foot Medicine and Surgery Sector, ABC School of Medicine, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Letícia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diedrichs
authors.affiliation: Resident Physician (third-year) in the Orthopedics Service, ABC School of Medicine, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abreu
keywords: Adult; Body Weights and Measures; Metatarsal Bones