Background: Overweight (OW) and childhood obesity (OB) may cause foot problems and affect one’s ability to perform physical activities. The study aimed to analyze the differences in descriptive characteristics, foot type, laxity, foot strength, and baropodometric variables by body mass status and age groups in children and, secondly, to analyze the associations of the BMI with different physical variables by age groups in children. Methods: A descriptive observational study involving 196 children aged 5–10 years was conducted. The variables used were: type of foot, flexibility, foot strength and baropodometric analysis of plantar pressures, and stability by pressure platform. Results: Most of the foot strength variables showed significant differences between the normal weight (NW), OW and OB groups in children aged between 5 and 8. The OW and OB groups showed the highest level of foot strength. In addition, the linear regression analyses showed, in children aged 5 to 8 years, a positive association between BMI and foot strength (the higher the BMI, the greater the strength) and negative association between BMI and stability (lower BMI, greater instability). Conclusions: Children from 5 to 8 years of age with OW and OB show greater levels of foot strength, and OW and OB children from 7 to 8 years are more stable in terms of static stabilometrics. Furthermore, between 5 and 8 years, having OW and OB implies having more strength and static stability.
Paediatric flexible flatfoot (PFF) is a very common condition and a common concern among parents and various healthcare professionals. There is a multitude of conservative and surgical treatments, with foot orthoses (FO) being the first line of treatment due to their lack of contraindications and because the active participation of the child is not required, although the evidence supporting them is weak. It is not clear what the effect of FO is, nor when it is advisable to recommend them. PFF, if left untreated or uncorrected, could eventually cause problems in the foot itself or adjacent structures. It was necessary to update the existing information on the efficacy of FO as a conservative treatment for the reduction in signs and symptoms in patients with PFF, to know the best type of FO and the minimum time of use and to identify the diagnostic techniques most commonly used for PFF and the definition of PFF. A systematic review was carried out in the databases PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, Cochrane, SCOPUS and PEDro using the following strategy: randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) on child patients with PFF, compared to those treated with FO or not being treated, assessing the improvement of signs and symptoms of PFF. Studies in which subjects had neurological or systemic disease or had undergone surgery were excluded. Two of the authors independently assessed study quality. PRISMA guidelines were followed, and the systematic review was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42021240163. Of the 237 initial studies considered, 7 RCTs and CCTs published between 2017 and 2022 met the inclusion criteria, representing 679 participants with PFF aged 3–14 years. The interventions of the included studies differed in diagnostic criteria, types of FO and duration of treatment, among others. All articles conclude that FO are beneficial, although the results must be taken with caution due to the risk of bias of the included articles. There is evidence for the efficacy of FO as a treatment for PFF signs and symptoms. There is no treatment algorithm. There is no clear definition for PFF. There is no ideal type of FO, although all have in common the incorporation of a large internal longitudinal arch.
The methodological heterogeneity in paediatric foot studies does not entail a stable foundation on which to focus the diagnosis and treatment of the various childhood foot problems. For this reason, the use of highly reliable tests is essential to find relationships and to establish a basis to guide the following studies. The main objective proposed in this cross-sectional observational study protocol is to examine the relationship between hypermobility (Lower Limb Assessment Score and Beighton score) and ankle muscle strength in different types of feet. The second objective is to describe the relationship between physical activity tests in children, and to compare with foot type and ankle muscle strength. The Strengthening Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) criteria will be followed. The hypermobility, posture, strength and physical condition tests will be analyzed through three stations, each one directed by a single specialist in paediatric podiatry. The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia CE112104. The results will be disseminated regardless of the magnitude or direction of effect. Intra-examiner and inter-examiner reliability will be analyzed.
Objective To develop a new diagnostic tool for joint hypermobility of the paediatric foot and ankle, based on a dichotomous scoring system, the validated Lower Limb Assessment Score (LLAS). With separation of the foot and ankle items, we obtained a new diagnostic tool for joint hypermobility of the foot and ankle, specifically, based on a dichotomous scoring system. Methods A total of 205 children between 5 and 10 years of age participated in the present cross-sectional study. The new tool Foot and Ankle Flexibility Index (FAFI) was the choice of the last 7 items of LLAS, which are specific to assess the foot and ankle. The internal consistency was measured with Cronbach’s test. Kappa statistics with 95% CI were calculated to verify the level of inter-rater and intra-rater agreement for the FAFI test. Results Cronbach's alpha returned 0.82. The correlations between items returned a mean of 0.59 (range: 0.43–0.74). The discrimination score on the ROC curve (4 points) showed that the model can be used to identify children with joint hypermobility of the foot and ankle. Conclusions This study identified high reliability between evaluators, and high sensitivity and specificity, for a new reliable and valid tool for the diagnosis of foot and ankle joint hypermobility.
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