Prevalencia de alteraciones en huella plantar en estudiantes Escuela Francisca Arizaga Toral. Cuenca-Ecuador, febrero - julio 2022

Abstract

Background: plantar footprint alterations are very common in school children, they vary between decreased or increased plantar curvature, and are linked to musculoskeletal pain. Objective: To determine the prevalence of alterations in the plantar footprint in students of the Francisca Arizaga Toral School of Basic Education. Methodology: descriptive, cross-sectional and observational study with data recording in a form prepared by the author. The tabulation of the data was carried out with the IBM SPSS version 15 program and the graphs were prepared in Microsoft Excel. Quantitative variables are described through dispersion statistics, standard deviation, and central tendency. The qualitative variables are presented through simple and crossed tables with frequencies and percentages. Results: with 268 children evaluated, 52.2% girls, 74.6% from urban areas, mestizos. 48.5% normal weight, 49.3 underweight, 2.2% overweight and obesity. The prevalence of plantar footprint alterations was 75%. Bilateral cavus prevailed 39.2%. Pes cavus prevailed in girls with 45.0%. According to age, in children under 8 years of age, flat feet presented 38.8%, and in those over 8 years of age, cavus presented 47.8%. The prevalent hip and knee angular alteration was bilateral valgus with 27.3%. Conclusions: It is important to assess the plantar footprint in schoolchildren, particularly between 8-13 years of age, the stage where the characteristics of the foot and plantar footprint alterations for adult life are established.