Objective: To determine the prevalence of the flat foot in 6-10 years old school going children. Methodology: A cross sectional study has been conducted on School children among 6-10 years (class one to class fifth) in six schools of the Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Our study included 714 children, male (512) and female (202). A specially designed Performa (subjective, objective history) is filled after doing physical examination and special tests for flat foot. Data was analyzed on SPSS 19.
Results: The statistical analysis concluded that that the prevalence of flat foot in school children among 6 to 10 years (from class 1 to 5) is 14.8% (106) and more common in male child then female child and bilateral (76.4%) involvement of the flat foot is more than unilateral (23.6%). The study showed that prevalence of flexible flat foot is ten times more than rigid flat foot having a ratio of 9:1. All rigid flat foot cases are symptomatic and flexible flat foot cases are asymptomatic (showing no symptoms). The prevalence of flat foot is more in childrens who are physically inactive .while physically active children have a very well developed medial longitudinal arch.
Conclusion: It is our conclusion that children who are living in different countries but having similar condition like environment, social, economical, life style. They have equal chance of developing flat foot or they have same % of the prevalence of the flat foot. Our study concluded that physical activity is directly proportional to the development of the medial longitudinal arch.
Key words: Flat foot, children, longitudinal arch
|
