Differences in sole arch indices in various sports

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Podiatry

Background:

• Conflicting data exists on the link between foot morphology and lower extremity athletic injuries.
• Previous studies in soldiers suggest a relationship, but research in athletes remains inconclusive.
• The reasons for these discrepancies are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of different sports on sole arch indices (AIs).
• To compare foot arch morphology across various athletic disciplines and a non-athletic control group.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 116 elite male athletes (soccer, wrestling, weightlifting, handball, gymnastics) and 30 non-athletic men.
• Foot sole images were captured using a podoscope and digitized.
• Arch indices (AIs) were calculated from the stored digital images.

Main Results:

• Gymnasts had significantly lower right sole AIs than soccer players, wrestlers, and controls.
• Wrestlers displayed significantly higher right sole AIs compared to all other groups.
• Handball players showed significantly lower AIs in both soles compared to non-athletes.
• Correlation between left and right foot AIs varied by sport, being poor in soccer players and wrestlers, but high in gymnasts and weightlifters.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences in arch indices were observed between gymnasts and wrestlers and other athletes.
• Gymnasts and handball players exhibited distinct arch indices when compared to non-athletic individuals.
• Sport-specific foot morphology may play a role in the biomechanics of elite athletes.