The influence of age and gender on normalized foot arch height of Korean children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Both the non-normalized and normalized arch height have been used to compare foot arch height among children. This study measured changes in foot dimensions, including length and the non-normalized and normalized arch height, among children and adolescents aged 8–19 years. Three-dimensional scanning data of 1451 children and adolescents were obtained. Four normalized arch height indices were calculated: the navicular height/total foot length, navicular height/instep length, instep height/total foot length and instep height/instep length. The current study found a significant positive relationship between foot length and non-normalized arch height. The normalized arch height increased linearly up to the age of 16 years. The proportion of pes planus also decreased with age. Current findings shed light on normative foot development in children and adolescents.

Keywords:

• Children
• foot type
• normal foot development

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was supported by Joongbu University Research & Development Fund, in 2020.