Clin Pain.  2023 Dec;22(2):97-103. 10.35827/cp.2023.22.2.97.

Effects of Biomechanical Foot Orthoses on the Resting Calcaneal Stance Position Angle in Flatfoot Patients

• KMID: 2550411
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.35827/cp.2023.22.2.97

Abstract

Objective
Flatfoot is a very common condition in pediatric rehabilitation that can cause various symptoms. Therefore, objective evaluation and effective management of flatfoot is important. The resting calcaneal stance position (RCSP) angle has been widely used as an indicator of flatfoot. This study followed up the RCSP angle in children with flatfoot who were prescribed biomechanical foot orthoses (BFOs), to determine whether BFOs significantly improved flatfoot.
Methods
We included 77 children who were diagnosed with flatfoot and prescribed BFOs. We followed up and compared the RCSP angle using the paired t-test. In addition, the patients divided into two groups according to RCSP angle improvement to determine whether any significant indicators were present in the group with greater improvement.
Results
The mean age of 77 children was 11.05 years, with 50 boys and 27 girls. The RCSP angle improved by 3.25 and 2.78 degrees on the right and left sides, respectively, with the paired t-test showing a significant improvement in the RCSP angle (p≤0.001). 40 and 37 exhibited an RCSP angle improvement of more and less than 4 degrees, respectively, with the paired t-test also confirming a significant improvement in the RCSP angle (p≤0.001). However, independent t-tests revealed no significant differences in all indicators between the two groups.
Conclusion
This study confirmed that wearing BFO in children with flatfoot can improve the RCSP angle. Our findings showed that RCSP angles improved regardless of other factors. Further studies providing more data and including a control group are needed.

Keyword

Flatfoot; Resting calcaneal stance position angle; Biomechanical foot orthoses; Foot insole; Flatfoot management