Foot posture in female patients 5 years after breast-conserving surgery: a case–control study

Abstract

Purpose

Along with the improvement in the outcomes of breast cancer treatment being observed in the recent years, long-term studies to assess distant adverse effects of the treatment have become increasingly important. The objective of this study was to assess the foot posture in patients subjected to breast-conserving therapy. The assessment was made 5 years after the surgical procedure.

Methods

116 female patients (mean age of 58.75 years) were qualified into a case–control study. Foot posture on the operated breast side (F1) as well as on the contralateral side (F2) was evaluated using a computer-based foot analysis tool as an extension of projection moiré-based podoscopic examination. Comparisons were made for the following parameters: limb load, L—foot length, W—foot width, L/W—Wejsflog index, ALPHA—hallux valgus angle, BETA—little toe varus angle, GAMMA—heel angle, KY—Sztriter–Godunov index, CL—Clarke's angle, HW—heel width.

Results

Five years after BCT, patients placed higher load on the foot on the side of the healthy breast (p = 0.0011). No statistically significant differences were observed between F1 and F2 with respect to other foot posture parameters (p > 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in foot posture parameters in patients having undergone BCT + ALND (axillary lymph node dissection) procedure as compared to patients subjected to BCT + SLNB (sentinel lymph node biopsy) procedure (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

No changes in foot posture were observed in patients 5 years after the BCT procedure. The type of the surgical procedure related to the lymph nodes within the axillary fossa has no effect on changes in foot posture.

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