[Does a Physical Education lesson affect the foot morphology in school-aged children?]

BACKGROUND: To analyze the changes in foot morphology in school-age children, after a Physical Education lesson.

METHODS: A total of 10 school-age children (5 girls and 5 boys) were recruited with a mean age of 9.3 ± 0.5 years that voluntary participated in this study. Measurements of both feet were obtained using a 3D foot digitizer model IFU-S-01 (Japan) in two different moments, before and after a physical education lesson (per-exercise and post-exercise), where different activities involving displacements, jumps and landings were performed.

RESULTS: By comparing foot morphology before and after exercise, significant differences in the arch height were found, which increased after exercise (p<0.05). The ball width shows greater changes after exercise but without significant differences (p= 0.07; effect size [ES] = 0.2). Furthermore, a positive correlation between the ball width and the arch height (p<0.05) and negative correlation between the distance from the heel to the first metatarsal and the ball width (r = - 0.7; p<0.05), were observed.

CONCLUSIONS: The type of activities undertaken during physical education lesson (displacements, jumps and landings) increased the pressure on the forefoot, which would lead to a lager arch height. Development of children's sport footwear systems should take into account the foot lengths, widths and heights, for a better fit, preventing future musculoskeletal injuries.