Morphological considerations of the first metatarsophalangeal joint.

This study was designed to examine the external morphology of the metatarsophalangeal joint and of the hallux. Approximately 187 first metatarsals and their associated proximal phalanges where measured for ten linear variables from human skeletal specimens housed in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The variables represented seven articular characteristics of the head of the first metatarsal, the length of first metatarsal, and the height and width of the base of the first proximal phalanx. Descriptive statistics for each of the variables are presented along with comparisons on gender and race. Strong differences comparing the means of the males and females were found; however, only minor differences were found between the blacks and whites. Correlation coefficients between all variables were found to be statistically significant; however, some relationships were more distinct than others. These data are presented as an aid in the accurate sizing of future prosthetic first metatarsophalangeal joint designs.