Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction

This is an observational pilot study to allow us to create a normal database of muscle function of one of the muscles in the back of the leg (tibialis posterior). Individuals with no foot and ankle problems will be recruited to undergo 2 tests.
Firstly, under ultrasound guidance we will insert a very fine needle into the muscle which is deep inside the lower leg. The needle is similar to an acupuncture needle and is removed once it is in the muscle. This leave behind 2 very fine wires (the size of strand of hair) which we will use to assess the electrical activity of the muscle when walking.
Secondly, we will test muscle strength by asking individuals to push against the side of a special box, called a force frame). This will give us a link between the muscle activity and the strength of the muscle.
We plan to recruit 30 individuals, (15 in each age group), 20 of whom will undergo repeat testing on a separate day to ensure our protocol is repeatable.