Flatfoot and balance performance among junior secondary school students in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Adequate body balance is important in preventing falls and injuries in children during physically active play and sports at school. The structure of the foot is essential to the ability to balance, but findings from studies comparing balance of children with and without flatfoot have been equivocal. We investigated the prevalence of flatfoot among school children in Ibadan, Nigeria, and compared selected balance indices in participants with and without flatfoot. Participants in this cross-sectional study were 300 junior secondary school students (aged 10–14 years). The navicular drop test, single limb stance test and tandem walk test were used to assess the presence of flatfoot, and static balance and dynamic balance, respectively. Data were summarised using percentages, mean and SD and, analysed with independent t-tests and chi-squared tests. The prevalence of flatfoot was 39.7%, and while higher in boys (44.7%) than girls (34.9%), this was not significantly different. Participants with flatfoot had significantly poorer mean static balance measures than those who did not (right: 25.70 [SD 6.55] vs 27.89 [SD 4.92]; left: 26.21 [SD 6.01] vs 28.52 [SD 4.27]), but there was no significant difference in dynamic balance between the groups. When treating children with flatfoot, physiotherapists may consider measuring static balance and, where appropriate, incorporate balance activities as part of the overall management plan.