Relationship Between Plantar Pressure, Body Mass Index and Balance in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between foot pressure, body mass index and balance in children aged 8-12 years.

Ninety normal children aged from 8 to 12 years old participated in this study. Foot pressure was recorded by a pedograph, BMI was calculated by weight/height2 (CDC chart), and balance was assessed by Biodex balance system.

Subjects who were overweight or obese had significantly higher peak plantar pressure on both their right and left sides when compared to those who were normal weight (p < 0.05) and underweight (p < 0.001), and those who were normal weight had significantly higher peak plantar pressure on both sides when compared to those who were underweight (p < 0.05). Subjects who were overweight or obese had significantly higher anterior-posterior stability index, medial-lateral stability index, and overall stability index than those who were underweight or normal weight (p < 0.001).

According to the results of our research, it includes positive association between plantar pressure, body mass index and balance in normal children with different weight characteristics. Our findings indicate that while obese and overweight children exhibit significantly higher peak plantar pressure, their higher stability indices suggest reduced postural stability compared to normal and underweight children with different weight characteristics. This implies that increased body mass in these children poses challenges to their balance control.

gov ID: NCT06478836.