Your Therapy Source Magazine for Pediatric Therapists March 2016 | Page 5

Flat Feet and Joint Problems in Children

Gait & Posture published research on whether flexible flat feet (FF) results in the
development of musculoskeletal symptoms at joints proximal to the ankle. Using an
observational study, data was collected on 95 children between the ages of 8-15 including
foot posture using the arch height index (AHI), frequency of knee and hip/back pain and
three dimensional gait analysis.
The results indicated the following:
1. reduced arch height was associated with increased odds of knee symptoms and
hip/back symptoms.
2. a flat foot posture was also significantly associated with a reduction in