The effects of foot orthoses on lower limb intra-joint coordination variability during walking in children with flexible flat foot

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Educational Science and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract

Background & Purpose: Walking requires optimal coordination variability among multiple joints. Little is known about the effects of foot orthoses on lower limb intra-joint coordination variability during walking in children with flexible flat foot. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate effects of foot orthoses on lower limb intra joint coordination variability in children with flexible flat foot during walking.
Methodology: Fifteen male children with flexible flat foot volunteered to participate in this study. Kinematic data during walking with and without foot orthoses was recorded by a motion analysis system (including 4 Vicon cameras). Then, three-dimensional coordination variability between ankle-knee, ankle-hip, and knee-hip joints were calculated.
Results: The value of sagittal ankle-knee coordination variability during mid-stance was reduced in walking with foot orthoses compared to walking without it(P=0.011). While the value of ankle-knee coordination variability in both frontal(P=0.023) and horizontal(P=0.001) planes in walking with foot orthoses were higher than that in walking without it. The value of frontal knee-hip coordination variability during loading response phase (P=0.015) and the magnitude of frontal knee-hip coordination variability during push off phase (P=0.010) decreased in walking with foot orthoses compared to walking without it. Average horizontal knee-hip coordination variability during push off phase increased in walking with foot orthoses compared to walking without it(P=0.000).
Conclusion: Using foot orthoses could decrease coordination variability values between ankle-knee and ankle-hip joints in sagittal and frontal planes, respectively. Our results demonstrated that the effects of foot orthoses on coordination variability were highest in frontal plane.

Keywords


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