The effect of foot orthoses on joint moment asymmetry in male children with flexible flat feet

Publication date: Available online 19 April 2017
Source:Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
Author(s): AmirAli Jafarnezhadgero, Morteza Madadi Shad, Reed Ferber
IntroductionIt has been widely postulated that structural and functional misalignments of the foot, such as flat foot, may cause mechanical deviations of the lower limb during walking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of foot orthoses on lower extremity joint moment asymmetry during the stance phase of walking in children with asymptomatic flexible flat feet.MethodsFourteen volunteer male children, clinically diagnosed with flexible flat feet, participated in this study. Subjects completed 12 walking trials at a self-selected walking speed while 3-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data were collected for two conditions: shod with no orthoses, and shod with orthoses. The gait asymmetry index for each variable for each subject was defined as: (1-(lesser moment/greater moment)) × 100.ResultsResults reveal no significant differences in ankle or knee joint moment asymmetry. However, the use of foot orthoses decreased asymmetry for the hip abduction moment (P = 0.04) compared to walking without orthoses and also resulted in subtle, non-significant increases in frontal plane subtalar and sagittal plane knee and hip joints moment asymmetry.ConclusionWe conclude that foot orthoses decrease frontal plane hip joint moment asymmetry, but have little effect on ankle and knee joint asymmetry.



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