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PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS RELATED TO FLAT FOOT AMONG OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE ADULTS

. Maleeha Rida , Arbab Javaid, Farooq Islam, Asim Raza and Raheela Kousar


Abstract

Flat foot is a common deformity in adults. It is characterized by medial rotation and plantar flexion of the talus, eversion of the calcaneus, collapsed medial arch and abduction of the fore foot.

Objective: To calculate the prevalence of flatfoot among the obese and overweight populations and assessment of its associated risk factors

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 207 overweight and obese adults from Aziz Bhatti Shaheed teaching hospital Gujrat. The participants were selected by non-probability convenient sampling started in May 2022 till September 2022. Participants who had fractures or dislocation of lower limb recently, or any surgery were excluded from the research. The diagnosis of flatfoot was based on clinical observations and with the usage of Harris mat. Data were entered and analyzed through SPSS (version 24.00) at 95% confidence interval and p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant value.

 

Results: There were 23.2% (48) males and 76.8% (159) females. There were 42.9% (6) male who had flatfoot and 57.1% (8) females who had flat foot. 50.7% participants were of obese and 49.3% were overweight. Association of gender (χ2=8.919, p-value<0.03, odds ratio=4.794), diabetes (χ2=3.78, p-value<0.05, odds ratio=3.019), Osteo-arthritis (χ2=7.194, p-value<0.007, odds ratio=4.142), hard sole (χ2=5.539, p-value<0.019, odds ratio=3.628) and Beighton score (χ2=5.926, p-value<0.015, odds ratio=4.02) was found statistically significant.  While body mass index Kg/m2, hypertension, co-morbidity and white-collar occupation were not associated with flat foot.

Conclusion: The study concluded that current study revealed that the prevalence of obese and overweight people having flat feet foot was less as compared to

 

other studies. Significant risk factors were gender, joint laxity, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and hard soles. There is no significant relationship between BMI, hypertension, co-morbidity and white-collar occupation with flat foot.

 

Keywords: Flat foot, Body Mass Index, Harris Mat, Joint Laxity, Beighton’s score

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