Classification and Morphological Parameters of the Calcaneal Talar Facet: Which Type Is More Likely to Cause Osteoarthritis in Chinese Population?

Due to the calcaneal osteoarthritis, patients had a lower quality of life. This research was to study which type of calcaneus was more likely to cause osteoarthritis and then to guide the clinical prevention and treatment in Chinese population. All 505 intact Chinese calcaneus facets were reconstructed by CT-3D reconstruction scanner and classified into five types based on the calcaneal talar facet (CTF) configuration. CTF's morphology parameters (osteophyte, cortical thickness of calcaneus, GIssane's and Bohler's angle, and long and short axis) were measured and recorded by PACS CT system. Researchers used the length of long and short axis to calculate the CTF area. By comparing the morphology parameters of five types of calcaneus, the differences among different types of calcaneus in Chinese people were statistically different. The study showed that Type II and Type IV had the highest percentage of osteophytes. After being compared and analyzed, the CTF pressure and the subtalar joint stability were closely related to the occurrence of osteoarthritis. Based on the measurement and comparison of morphological parameters in this study, Types II and IV were the most likely to develop osteoarthritis in Chinese population.