[Risk factors associated to musculoskeletal pathologies in athletes with cavus foot through baropodometric studies]

The cavus foot is a musculoskeletal pathology with an increase of the medial arch of the concavity of the foot. The etiology of the cavus foot is still enigmatic, it is related with neurologic conditions, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, Friedreich's ataxia, and cerebral palsy. The aim of this research was to analyze the plantar pressure distribution of the feet on young athletes with cavus foot.

Eighty-three young athletes between nine and 20 years old, that presented cavus feet pathology were recruited. The mass and height average were 56.9 ± 12.36 kg and 1.61 ± 0.10 m respectively. Plantar pressure distribution of the feet was recorded during static conditions. The hindfoot and forefoot pressure were compared in each foot.

The plantar pressure distribution were categorized in three groups. In the first group the participants presented higher pressure in the hindfoot than forefoot, in the second group, the athletes showed similar pressure in the posterior and anterior region of the feet and in the last one, the subjects revealed higher pressure in the forefoot. To be considered in one of the three groups, the difference of pressure between the posterior and anterior part of the foot was established at 16%.

Many musculoskeletal disorders in the human body are biomechanical in origin and related with foot anatomy. The cavus foot is a pathology with high prevalence in athletes and it is related with the mechanical forces over the feet during dynamic conditions.