EFFECTS OF INSOLES WITH AND WITHOUT SHORT FOOT EXERCISES ON PAIN, DISABILITY AND FOOT POSTURE IN CHILDREN WITH PES PLANUS

Background: Pes Planus, commonly known as flatfoot, is a condition that can lead to significant discomfort and functional impairment. While various treatments have been proposed, the effectiveness of combining shoe insoles with Short Foot Exercise (SFE) has not been extensively studied. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of combined shoe insole and SFE intervention in improving symptoms of flatfoot compared to shoe insoles alone. Methods: This randomized controlled trial recruited 26 children aged 8-16 years with symptomatic bilateral pes planus. Participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group receiving SFE with internal shoe modification, and a control group receiving only internal shoe modification. The intervention lasted for six weeks. Outcome measures included Foot Posture Index (FPI) and Foot Function Index (FFI), assessed before and after the intervention. Results: At baseline, no significant differences were observed between groups in FPI and FFI scores. Post-intervention, the experimental group showed a significant improvement in FPI scores, from a median of 5.00 [−1.50 – 8.00] to 3.00 [−1.00 – 4.50], and in FFI scores, from 39.00 [22.00 – 45.00] to 30.00 [20.00 – 40.00]. In contrast, the control group showed less pronounced improvements. The differences between groups post-intervention were statistically significant, with P-values of 0.03 for FPI and 0.02 for FFI. Conclusion: The combination of shoe insoles and SFE is more effective in improving foot posture and function in children with symptomatic flatfoot than shoe insoles alone. This study suggests that a multimodal approach may be beneficial in managing pes planus.