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Europa Medicophysica 1998 March;34(1):33-8

Copyright © 1998 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Electronic podometry in the prevention of flatfeet in children

Ardito S., Raciti G., Tirrò S.

Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Catania, Italy

BACKGROUND: In the ­present ­study, a ­group of pre-­school-age and ­school-age chil­dren ­were ­screened for the presence of ­flat­feet. Elec­tronic com­pu­ter­ised podom­etry (ECP) was ­then ­used to ­assess the ­degree of flat­ness. ECP pro­vides a ­means to ­study ­plantar atti­tude ­during ­quiet ­standing and ­gait, and ­even to ­reveal flat­ness in the pres­ence of ­valgism of the rear­foot. Find­ings may ­then be ­used to ­plan and pre­scribe ther­a­peutic exer­cise and ­orthotics.
­METHODS: ­Firstly, we ­studied the ana­tom­ical and phys­ical char­ac­ter­is­tics of ­each ­child’s deam­bu­la­tion, ­using a ­variety of clin­ical ­tests. At ­this ­stage, our aim was to iden­tify any abnor­mal­ities. The ECP, ­which ­allowed us to deter­mine ­plantar pres­sure, was ­also ­used. The var­ious ­phases of a ­step ­were ­divided ­into 40 suc­ces­sive ­images, ­revealing ­whether any ­part of the ­foot was ­used too ­much or too ­little ­during ­gait. A ­total of 50 chil­dren ­were ­studied.
­RESULTS: The ­results ­were then ­used to ­plan and pre­scribe reha­bil­i­ta­tion treat­ment ­aimed at strength­ening the ­children’s hypo­tonic mus­cles.
CONCLUSIONS: ECP ­gave ­rapid and reli­able ­results and we can there­fore rec­om­mend its use in the pre­ven­tion and treat­ment of flat­feet in chil­dren.