Interaction of arch height and lower extremity joint alignment during standing and walking in children

Object of the research: interaction of arch height and lower extremity joint alignment. Problem questions: How does the medial longitudinal arch change in children aged 7-10 years? What is the interaction of the longitudinal arch height and leg alignment angles while standing in frontal plane in children aged 7-10 years? How does this interaction change? What is the impact of the longitudinal arch on leg angles when walking in frontal and sagittal planes in children aged 7-10 years? The aim of the research: to determine the interaction of arch height and lower extremity joint alignment during standing and walking in children aged 7-10 years. The goals of the research: 1. To evaluate and compare the medial longitudinal foot arch in in children aged 7 and 10 years. 2. To evaluate and compare the lower extremity joint alignment during standing in children aged 7 and 10 years. 3. To evaluate the interaction between foot arch height and lower extremity joint alignment, also interaction between lower extremity joints relative to each other during standing in children aged 7 and 10 years. 4. To evaluate the lower extremity joint alignment during walking in children aged 7-10 years. 5. To evaluate the interaction between foot arch height and lower extremity joint alignment, also interaction between lower extremity joints relative to each other during walking in children aged 7-10 years. Hypothesis. We presume that the medial longitudinal arch height interacts with lower extremity joint alignment during standing and walking in children aged 7-10 years, because there is plenty of scientific literature proving that foot arch has physiological influence on the lower extremity. Conclusions: 1. Normal and flat foot arch was found in more than 1/3 of 7-year-old children, while intermediate and lowered foot arch – in more than 1/10. More than 1/3 of 10-year-old children had intermediate foot arch type, lowered and flat foot - nearly 1/4, and less than 1/10 of participants in this age group had elevated foot arch. With increasing age of the child, the number of children with flat foot declines, but more children have foot with an elevated arch. 2. In standing position in frontal plane the calcaneus tends to lean medially, and the shin tends to lean laterally of children 7-year-old. Accordingly, the inclination angle between calcaneus and tibia increases statistically significant in 10-year-old children. Anatomic leg axis and Q angles were not significantly different in different age groups. 3. 7- and 10-year-old children didn‘t differ in foot arch height interaction with lower extremity joint alignment in frontal plane. 4. During the mid-stand phase of gait the calcaneus and Achilles tendon lean laterally, hip and knee joints are in flexion, ankle in extension in children 7 to 10-year-old. Anatomic angles of leg axis, angle of lower leg and thigh inclination in frontal plane varies slightly. 5. Foot arch height has an impact on angle between knee and hip during the mid-stance phase in 7 to 10 year-old children. Children who have smaller height of foot arch tend to have bigger angle of hip and knee flexion. Calcaneus and Achilles tendon lean laterally during the mid-stance phase. Achilles tendon angle increases with increasing heel angle, and anatomic leg axis angle increases with decreasing hip adduction. Recommendations. This research partly led to confirm the hypothesis: it was measured that in standing position, regardless of the children age, the foot arch height did not have any interaction with lower extremity joint alignment. However in walking lower foot arch height had an influence on knee and hip flexion angle. Therefore we recommend to counduct postural tests not only in standing but also in walking