Development of plantar arch in childhood and adolescence: footprint analysis in public schools

• Autor(a) principal: Minghelli, Beatriz
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Marreiros, Nuno, Valente, Filipe, Ribeiro, Tatiana, Andrez, Teresa, Varela, Edna, Felizardo, Rodrigo
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.25758/set.304
• topic: Arco plantar; Obesidade; Crianças; Adolescentes; Plantar arch; Obesity; Children; Adolescent

The plantar arch is developed in the first years of children’s lives and there are many factors that can influence this formation such as age, gender, and overweight. The aim of this study was to examine the development of plantar arches in children and adolescents check the prevalence of different types of plantar arches and investigate which factors may contribute to the formation of these arches. The sample consisted of 1.090 students from public schools in the area of Silves, Algarve, of both sexes, aged between 2 and 18 years. The body mass index was calculated and the students were classified as normal weight, thinness, overweight, and obesity. The analysis of the plantar arch was performed using a podograph with the person in a static position. A footprint was analyzed by measuring the angle of Clarke's, the index of Chippaux-Smirak, and Staheli's arch index. The average values of the angle of Clarke's, the index of Chippaux-Smirak, and Staheli's arch index revealed a prevalence of intermediate arch, small longitudinal arch, and fallen plantar arch, respectively. The values of the angle of Clarke's, the index of Chippaux-Smirak, and Staheli's arch index differed significantly for genders, age groups, and groups with overweight and obesity. According to data obtained in this study, we believe that gender, age, and body weight are factors that can influence the formation of the plantar arch.