“…It is distinct from rigid pes planus, a congenital, rigid or spastic deformity of the foot, affecting less than 1% of the population and often requiring surgical management ( Harris et al, 2004 ; Rome, Ashford & Evans, 2010 ; WHO, 2016 ). Prevalence of paediatric pes planus ranges from 48.5% to 77.9% in children aged 2–16 years ( Chen et al, 2014 ; Evans & Rome, 2011 ; Halabchi et al, 2013 ), reducing to only 2–23% in the adult population ( Dunn et al, 2004 ; Golightly et al, 2012 ; Kosashvili et al, 2008 ). The larger prevalence observed in children can be explained by many factors, including age appropriate ligament laxity, and advancing maturation of neuromuscular control ( Lin et al, 2001 ; Pfeiffer et al, 2006 ; Stavlas et al, 2005 ; Uden, Scharfbillig & Causby, 2017 ), with most of the arch ‘flatness’ reducing over the first decade of life ( El et al, 2006 ; Rome, Ashford & Evans, 2010 ; Stavlas et al, 2005 ).…”