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Change in flatfoot of preschool-aged children: a 1-year follow-up study
Kun-Chung Chen1, Li-Chen Tung, Chih-Jung Yeh
1Physical Therapy Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No.110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung City, 402, Taiwan.
Insights
Flatfoot in preschool children often improves with age, with many cases resolving within a year. However, some children develop flatfoot as they age, warranting further study into contributing factors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Orthopedics
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Flatfoot (pes planus) is common in preschool-aged children and its natural progression is not fully understood.
- Early identification and understanding of flatfoot development are crucial for potential interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the changes in the signs of flatfoot in preschool-aged children over a 1-year follow-up period.
- To identify factors associated with the development or improvement of flatfoot in this age group.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 580 preschool-aged children (median age 54 months) was followed for an average of 11.8 months.
- The Chippaux-Smirak index (CSI) > 62.70% was used to diagnose flatfoot.
- Footprint analysis was conducted at baseline and 1-year follow-up.
Main Results:
- Flatfoot signs improved with age; the average CSI decreased by 5.1%, and the prevalence of flatfoot reduced by 14% over 1 year.
- 37.6% of children initially diagnosed with flatfoot showed improvement to normal foot structure.
- Conversely, 9.9% of children with normal feet at baseline developed flatfoot by the 1-year follow-up.
Conclusions:
- While flatfoot often resolves with age in preschoolers, some cases may develop or persist.
- Younger age, male sex, obesity, and joint laxity were identified as potential risk factors for flatfoot.
- Further research is needed to clarify the multifactorial nature of flatfoot progression in early childhood.
Unlabelled:
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in the signs of flatfoot of preschool-aged children in a 1-year follow-up study. This study performed follow-up on a total of 580 preschool-aged children (boys, 297 children; girls, 283 children) with a median age of 54 (range 36-71 months), and the average follow-up period was 11.8 months. This study used the Chippaux-Smirak index (CSI) of footprint as the assessment tool, and CSI > 62.70 % was used as the standard for determining whether preschool-aged children suffered from flatfoot. The results showed that the signs of flatfoot of preschool-aged children improved with increasing age. At the 1-year follow-up, the average CSI was 5.1 % lower, and the proportion of children with flatfoot was 14 % lower. The follow-up on the change in the signs of flatfoot showed that 37.6 % of the children originally with flatfoot had improved to normal, verifying that flatfoot indeed improves with increasing age. However, the results also showed that 9.9 % of the children who originally had normal feet had developed flatfoot with increasing age, which deserves subsequent investigation. The results of the follow-up also showed that children who were relatively younger, male, obese, and experiencing excessive joint laxity were more likely to experience the signs of flatfoot.
Conclusion:
The 1-year follow-up found that some preschool-aged children with flatfoot may develop normal feet, while children with normal feet may begin to experience the signs. Relevant factors affecting flatfoot in preschool-aged children continue to require further clarification.
