Pedobarographic outcome after subtalar screw arthroereisis in flexible juvenile flatfoot.

BACKGROUND

Flatfoot is a frequent skeletal deformity in childhood that can be minimally invasively treated by arthroereisis.

QUESTION

Does the motion of juvenile flexible flatfoot normalize after arthroereisis?

METHOD

Pedographic measurements were obtained from 39 patients preoperatively, six months postoperatively and compared to a healthy group. The footprints were divided into 8 areas. The selected parameters were: contact area and force-time-integral.

RESULTS

After surgery, a load shift from the medial to the lateral areas was detected under the midfoot and forefoot. The force-time-integral under the hallux normalized. However, under the lateral midfoot, the postoperative force-time-integral was significantly higher than in the control group.

SIGNIFICANCE

The study shows that arthroereisis is able to correct the medially displaced load distribution of juvenile flexible flatfoot. However, further investigations are required to find out if the higher punctual loading under the lateral midfoot may cause problems in the long term.