Sonographic evaluation of heel pad thickness in a Nigerian population.

ABSTRACT

Background: The heel pad is an important element of foot biomechanics and knowledge of structural inclinations in populations is important in the pathological assessment of the foot. Subjects and Methods: The thickness of the Heel pad (HPT) was evaluated in a student population in Nigeria using ultrasound and correlated with some anthropometric variables to assess which variable can easily be used to predict HPT. Results: Results showed a mean HPT of 9.06±1.26 and 9.00±1.73 (mm) for the right and left side respectively; height, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Surface Area (BSA) showed positive correlation with the HPT. As a result Simple regression equations were deduced for HPT using height, BMI and BSA as independent variables. Conclusion: The results are not comparable to previous studies and suggest ethnic/racial impact on heel pad fat distribution and thus, opined the validation of these equations for expanded use in our population.