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Title: FOOT POSTURE AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH BALANCE FUNCTION IN GERIATRIC POPULATION
Authors: Iqra Mubeen, Ruqayyah, Sara Qureshi, Rafia Imtiaz
Journal: Insights-Journal of Health and Rehabilitation
| Category | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Y | 2024-10-01 | 2025-12-31 |
Publisher: Health And Research Insights (SMC-Private) Limited
Country: Pakistan
Year: 2024
Volume: 2
Issue: 2
Language: English
DOI: 10.71000/00y4cq43
Keywords: balanceOlder adultsActivities of Daily livingAgedPostural stabilityfoot deformitiesfoot posture
Background: Foot posture plays a critical role in balance and functional mobility, particularly in the geriatric population. Aging is associated with changes in foot posture, which may lead to balance impairments, increased risk of falls, and reduced quality of life. Understanding the distribution of foot posture types and their relationship with balance function is essential for developing interventions to improve stability in older adults.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of foot posture types and their association with balance function in the geriatric population.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hayatabad, Peshawar, from March 2, 2022, to September 3, 2022. A total of 196 participants aged 60 years and above were recruited through non-probability convenience sampling. Participants were included based on predefined eligibility criteria and provided informed consent. Data collection involved demographic details, medical history, and assessments using the Foot Posture Index (FPI) to classify foot posture into neutral, pronated, highly pronated, supinated, or highly supinated. Static balance was evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), with scores ranging from 0–56. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22, employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to determine associations.
Results: The study included 95 males (48.5%) and 101 females (51.5%), with a mean age of 69.07 ± 6.59 years. Pronated foot posture was the most prevalent (39.3%), followed by neutral (32.1%), supinated (17.9%), highly pronated (9.2%), and highly supinated (1.5%). Pronated foot posture was significantly more common in females (47.5%), while supinated foot posture was more prevalent in males (21.1%). Participants with pronated foot posture had higher BBS scores, with 47.9% scoring 51–56, compared to 32.9% of those with neutral posture. Conversely, 43.3% of participants with supinated foot posture had lower BBS scores in the range of 41–45. A significant association (p<0.05) was observed between foot posture and BBS scores, as well as between foot posture and gender.
Conclusion: Pronated foot posture is the most common type in older adults, followed by neutral and supinated postures. Pronated foot posture is associated with better static balance, as indicated by higher BBS scores, while supinated foot posture correlates with lower scores, reflecting poorer balance. These findings highlight the importance of foot posture assessments in geriatric evaluations to address balance impairments and reduce fall risks.
To determine the prevalence of foot posture types and their association with balance function in the geriatric population.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 196 participants aged 60 years and above, recruited through non-probability convenience sampling. Data was collected on demographic details, medical history, foot posture using the Foot Posture Index (FPI), and static balance using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and chi-square tests using SPSS version 22.
graph TD
A["Obtain Institutional Review Board Approval"] --> B["Recruit 196 Participants Aged 60+ via Convenience Sampling"];
B --> C["Verify Eligibility Criteria"];
C --> D["Obtain Informed Consent"];
D --> E["Collect Demographic Data and Medical History"];
E --> F["Assess Foot Posture using FPI"];
F --> G["Evaluate Static Balance using BBS"];
G --> H["Analyze Data using SPSS v22"];
H --> I["Interpret Results and Draw Conclusions"];
The study found pronated foot posture to be the most common in older adults, aligning with some previous research but differing from others regarding gender prevalence. The association between pronated foot posture and better balance (higher BBS scores) and supinated foot posture with poorer balance (lower BBS scores) was consistent with existing literature. The study acknowledges limitations such as a potential exclusion of individuals with more severe balance impairments due to the BBS score inclusion criterion and the cross-sectional design precluding causal inference.
Pronated foot posture was the most prevalent (39.3%), followed by neutral (32.1%) and supinated (17.9%). Pronated foot posture was more common in females, while supinated foot posture was more prevalent in males. Participants with pronated foot posture had higher BBS scores, indicating better balance, while those with supinated foot posture had lower BBS scores, indicating poorer balance. Significant associations were found between foot posture and BBS scores (p<0.05), and between foot posture and gender.
Pronated foot posture is the most common type in older adults, followed by neutral and supinated postures. Pronated foot posture is associated with better static balance, while supinated foot posture correlates with poorer balance. Foot posture assessment is important in geriatric evaluations to address balance impairments and reduce fall risks.
- A total of 196 participants were recruited for the study. (Confirmed in Results section)
- Pronated foot posture was the most prevalent type, found in 39.3% of participants. (Confirmed in Results section)
- The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores range from 0 to 56. (Confirmed in Methods section)
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