Preliminary report on a prospective study of sports effects on plantar vault development

Objective. The plantar vault is flat at birth and develops spontaneously during the first decade of life. Sport practice at school age can play an important role for the proper or abnormal foot growth. The aim of this investigation is to correlate the vault shape evolution with the practice of different sport activities during the school age. The first session of the study observations will be shown thereafter. Materials and methods. 450 primary/secondary school children aged 6 to 14 years, of both sexes, enrolled in the province of Rome will be considered; any subject treated for vault correction has not been included. Data about sport practice and anthropometric measurements (weight, height, etc.) are collected in two different sessions; all subjects are evaluated by taking foot images in specific photo projections. Using a polarized light plantoscope the vault shapes have been discriminated and the footprint isthmus measured. Normal, cavus, flexible/rigid flatfoot has been identified. Data will be analysed using Statistical Program for Social Sciences version 13.0 for Windows statistical software. Results Standard vaults were 77%, flatfoot 9%, cavus foot 14%. Dance or Artistic gymnastics are associated to a higher percentage of cavus vault. Conclusions The first session of the study showed prevailings of plantar vault shapes similar to those expressed in literature. References Abolarin TO et al: Relationship between selected anthropometric variables and prevalence of flatfoot among urban and rural school children in south west Nigeria. Nig Q J Hosp Med,21,135-40,2011 Muller S et al: Static and dynamic foot characteristics in children aged 1–13 years: A cross-sectional study. Gait Posture, doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.10.357,2011