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. 2020 Jan 23:13:5.
doi: 10.1186/s13047-020-0372-8. eCollection 2020.

Symptomatic pes planus in children: a synthesis of allied health professional practices

Stewart C Morrison  1 , Madeleine Tait  1 , Elaine Bong  1 , Kyra J Kane  2 , Chris Nester  3
Affiliations

Symptomatic pes planus in children: a synthesis of allied health professional practices

Stewart C Morrison et al. J Foot Ankle Res. .

Abstract

Background: This study sought to explore professional perspectives on the assessment and management of symptomatic pes planus in children.

Methods: Data was collected from three professional groups (podiatrists, physiotherapists, and orthotists) with experience of managing foot problems in children. The survey was undertaken in the United Kingdom via a self-administered, online survey. Data was captured over a four-month period in 2018.

Results: Fifty-five health professionals completed the survey and the results highlighted that assessment techniques varied between professions, with standing tip-toe and joint range of motion being the most common. Treatment options for children were diverse and professionals were adopting different strategies as their first line intervention. All professions used orthoses.

Conclusions: There were inconsistencies in how the health professionals assessed children presenting with foot symptoms, variation in how the condition was managed and differences in outcome measurement. These findings might be explained by the lack of robust evidence and suggests that more effort is needed to harmonise assessment and treatment approaches between professions. Addressing discrepancies in practice could help prioritise professional roles in this area, and better support the management of children with foot pain.

Keywords: Feet; Orthoses; Orthotist; Paediatric; Physiotherapist; Podiatrist.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interestsCN is a Director and owns equity in a company (Salfordinsole healthcare Ltd) that manufacturers foot orthoses for adults. The company had no association with the work, no part in the development of this survey nor writing of this paper. No product from any company was mentioned in the survey and all questions were independent of a specific company product. SM is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research. It is journal policy that editors are removed from the peer review and editorial decision-making process for the papers that they have co-authored. All other authors declare no conflict of interest.

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