Correlation between flat foot and patellar instability in adolescents and analysis of related risk factors

Flatfoot and patellar instability are both developmental limb deformities that occur frequently in adolescents. A high number of patients with both diseases can be seen in clinic, and there are no studies showing a correlation between the two. The goal of this study is to investigate the association between developmental patellar instability and flat feet in adolescents and its associated risk factors.

This experiment uses a cross-sectional study to select 74 adolescent patients with flat foot from a randomly selected middle school in this city since December 2021 and obtain relevant data. SPSS26.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. Quantitative data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, and Pearson correlation coefficient was used for analysis. p < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference.

A total of 74 people (40 men and 34 women) were included in this study. The correlation coefficients between Meary angle, Pitch angle, calcaneal valgus angle, CSI, BMI, and Beighton scores and knee joint Q angle are 0.358 (p < 0.01), -0.312 (p < 0.01), 0.403 (p < 0.01), 0.596 (p < 0.01), 0.427 (p < 0.01), and 0.293 (p < 0.05), respectively, indicating that flat foot, overweight, and Beighton scores are all correlated with Q angle. The correlation coefficients between Meary angle, Pitch angle, calcaneal valgus angle, CSI, and BMI were 0.431 (p < 0.01), -0.399 (p < 0.01), 0.319 (p < 0.01), and 0.563 (p < 0.01), respectively, indicating a correlation between flat foot and BMI. The correlation coefficients between Meary's angle, Pitch's angle, calcaneal valgus angle, CSI, and Beighton's score were 0.207 (p > 0.05), -0.240 (p < 0.05), 0.204 (p > 0.05), and 0.413 (p < 0.01), respectively, indicating a correlation between flat foot and Beighton's score.

We believe that there is a significant correlation between adolescent flatfoot and patellar instability. Excessive weight and ligamental laxity during adolescent development are among the risk factors for flatfoot and patellar instability.