Clinical and radiological outcomes of corrective exercises and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in children with flexible flatfeet: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Flexible flatfeet are common among children being scarcely symptomatic requires no specific treatment and resolves spontaneously. However, flexible flatfoot tends to advance and deteriorate overtime and eventually resulting in significant impairments such as plantar fasciitis and patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Research question: What is the effect of corrective exercises and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in children with flexible flatfeet?

Method: This is a randomized controlled trial with 72 children, seven to twelve yearsold, randomly assigned to either intervention or control group (36 children for each group) and engaged in a four months (3 sessions/week) of corrective exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation or corrective exercise and sham neuromuscular electrical stimulation respectively. Assessments of Staheli's arch index (through foot print), navicular drop (through navicular drop test) and radiographic indexes (through anterior-posterior and medio-lateral X-ray) of both feet were performed before and after the intervention programs.

Results: Study groups were comparable with respect to all outcome measures at entry (P > 0.05). Within group comparison showed significant improvements in all measured variables. Further, between groups comparison revealed significant higher improvements (P < 0.05) in right and left feet Staheli's arch index, navicular drop as well as the radiographic indexes in favor of the intervention group.

Significance: Integration of corrective exercises and neuromuscular electrical stimulation is more effective than exercises alone for providing clinical and radiological improvements in children with flexible flatfeet.

Keywords: Foot exercise; Navicular drop; Neuromuscular electrical stimulation; Staheli’s arch index.