The effects of hallux valgus and hallux rigidus surgery on gait biomechanics: a systematic review

Hallux valgus (HV) and hallux rigidus (HR) are common foot conditions that lead to deterioration of health status. This review aims to summarize and update information on the currently published research explicitly related to the influence of HV and HR surgeries on lower extremity gait biomechanics. A review of papers published from 1999 to 2020 has been conducted. The databases searched included Science Direct, PubMed Central, PubMed and EBSCO. After HV surgeries, most of patients’ spatio-temporal parameters remain the same as they were before them. Changes in plantar pressure parameters of the hallux region are inconclusive and depend on a study. In patients after HR surgeries, such as cheilectomy and Ist metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP I) arthrodesis, they do not affect knee or hip kinematics. The influence of MTP I arthrodesis on ankle joint kinematics is unclear. Cheilectomy in most cases increases MTP I motion in the sagittal plane. The HV angle and the intermetatarsal angle have significantly decreased after surgeries in all papers. American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society MTP–IP score results are also much better than their pre-operative values in patients after HV and HR surgeries. Surgical treatment decreases pain and allows patients to perform activities of daily living, but it does not normalize gait parameters. Further research on a large group of patients is needed to comprehensively assess kinetic, kinematic and plantar pressure parameters as well as muscle activity after HV and HR surgeries.