The driving factors contributing to the progression of an adult flatfoot deformity remain multifaceted;​ it could be driven by the underlying bony morphology, or a combination of form and function that induces abnormal kinematics. The first step is to characterize patient morphology across the spectrum of deformity in adult flatfoot, also known as progressive collapsing foot deformity (PCFD). Next, evaluating hindfoot kinematics during activities of daily living in adults with flatfoot deformity is essential for understanding pathological foot conditions. Biplane fluoroscopy provides a means to track in vivo motion of individual bones and measure joint kinematics. Yet, there lacks a robust standard for measuring and comparing kinematics across studies and conditions, especially in cases where deformity greatly affects bone morphology. Our overall objective is to characterize morphology in patients with flatfoot using statistical shape modeling, evaluate coordinate systems that will be robust across the spectrum of flatfoot deformities, and quantify in vivo function differences in individuals with asymptomatic flatfoot through a kinematic analysis from biplane fluoroscopy.

Our mission is to conduct research to discover new knowledge that improves the quality of care for adults presenting with flatfoot across the spectrum of deformity. The long-term focus of this project will aid in understanding what drives the difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic flatfoot.