Assessment of flatfoot index and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders of the foot in young athletes: swimming, rowing and weightlifting

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this work was to analyze the morphology of the soles of the feet in young athletes to find the prevalence of these pathologies through the Chippaux-Smirak index. Material and Methods: Seventy-five athletes between nine and twenty years old participated in the study (56% female and 44% male), the average mass was 62.92 ± 13.46kg and the average height was 1.67 ± 0.11m. The sports considered in the study were weightlifting, swimming, and rowing. Results: The results clearly show that flatfeet in adolescents and young adults is a condition with a low prevalence level, 10.7% and 12% for the right and left foot, respectively. One of the most outstanding results found in the study is the high prevalence of cavus foot, where women are the most affected by this pathology. Furthermore, swimming presented the highest prevalence of cavus foot, 42.1% and 52.6% for the right and left foot, respectively. Conclusion:  In conclusion, the understanding of the morphology of the soles of the feet can help to determine the foot type in these three different sports, and therefore, it can be implemented physiotherapeutic treatments or orthotics devices for overcome the musculoskeletal disorders and prevent future injures.