Background: The rearfoot varus wedge (RVW) is a common treatment for foot pain and valgus deformity. There is research on its effects in the calcaneus, but there is little research on the navicular. More research is needed with the use of RVW due to the relationship that exists between the position of the navicular and the risk of suffering an injury.
Objectives: this study sought to understand how RVW can influence the kinematics of the navicular bone, measuring their movement with the 6 SpaceFastrak system.
Methods: a total of 60 subjects participated in the study. Two sensors were used to measure the movement of the calcaneus and navicular using RVWs as compared in the barefoot position in a static way.
Results: there were statistically significant differences, the use of RVWs caused changes in the navicular bone, with subjects reaching the maximum varus movement with the use of RVW 7 mm of 1.35 ± 2.41° (p < 0.001), the maximum plantar movement flexion with the use of RVW 10 mm of 3.93 ± 4.44° (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: when RVWs were placed under the calcaneus bone, the navicular bone response was in varus movement too; thus, the use of rearfoot varus wedge can influence the movement of the navicular bone.
Keywords: Polhemus device; calcaneus bone; foot orthosis; midfoot joint; midtarsal joint; navicular bone; rearfoot varus wedge.