BACKGROUND: Foot morphology is associated with altered loading of the ankle-foot complex in adolescent footballers, predisposing to pain and injury. However, usual singular plane clinical assessments do not accurately capture the 3D nature of foot morphology. A new approach is 3D laser scanning, with statistical shape model techniques creating individual-to-group comparison. However, no research exists on the adolescent, football-playing foot. Furthermore, a link between 3D foot morphology, and usual clinical and performance measures would be beneficial for practical implementation. METHODS: Four hundred forty-seven 3D foot scans from 224 elite male footballers (U12-U19) in bilateral stance were collected and further processed with statistical shape model techniques. Weighted shape parameters for individual principal components (Modes) were extracted for each foot. Centre of pressure displacement expressed as total travelled way in millimetres was calculated for bilateral and unilateral postural stability measures. Clinical assessments (Clarke's Angle, Resting Calcaneal Stance Position) were calculated on the 3D foot scans. Differences in weighted shape parameters, postural stability measures, and clinical assessments between age groups were determined by ANOVA. Correlations determined the relationship of Modes and clinical assessments to postural stability measures. Linear regression established if clinical assessments predicted the mode describing foot arch variation. RESULTS: Age groups significantly differed for Mode 1 (foot length), Mode 2 (foot arch), and Mode 5 (tibial rotation relative to the foot) (p < 0.05). Resting Calcaneal Stance Position (r = .663) and Clarke's Angle (r = -.445) were low-to-moderately correlated to Mode 2 (both p < 0.001), and linear regression found they were both significant predictors of Mode 2, though only moderately (R2 = .522). There were low correlations of foot morphology to the postural stability tests. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to describe the 3D foot morphology of male football-playing adolescents, and discover the differences between age groups. This will improve understanding and assessment of foot morphology in male adolescents because 2D techniques, as discovered in this study, do not strongly correlate to, nor predict, the 3D foot arch. Foot morphology was only lowly correlated to postural stability, thus a multifaceted program would be required for improvements.
- MeSH
- dolní končetina * MeSH
- hlezenní kloub MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lineární modely MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- patní kost * MeSH
- tibie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: Biological maturity (BM) and foot morphology (FM) can independently alter neuromuscular loading on the ankle-foot complex, potentially causing stability deficits and injury predisposition. However, the influence of BM on FM, and how much both explain neuromuscular performance in postural stability (PS) tests, has been understudied. This study aimed to investigate the effect of BM on FM, and then discover to what extent both factors explain the variance in PS performance in adolescent footballers. METHODS: Over one season, 399 three-dimensional foot scans were gathered from 72 footballers (U12-U15). PS was measured by center of pressure (COP) displacement in bilateral and unilateral stance. The Khamis and Roche equation determined maturity status (MS), while formulae from Mirwald and Khamis and Roche estimated timing of biological maturation (TBM). Principal component analysis determined nine principal components that explained the most variance in FM. An ANCOVA determined the effect of TBM on FM principal components, with covariates of age, height, weight, playing position, and foot preference. Step-wise linear regression determined the explanation of COP displacement by the above-mentioned predictors. RESULTS: There was significantly increased foot pronation during and after peak height velocity/puberty. MS and four foot principal components (foot arch and width, great toe width and length) were significant predictors in all PS tests (R2: 0.105-0.180). CONCLUSIONS: TBM had a significant effect on FM presentation, and should be a part of adolescent foot assessment. While they only explained a small amount of variance, determining MS and FM may identify those requiring additional PS attention.
- MeSH
- dolní končetina * MeSH
- hlezenní kloub MeSH
- kotník MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- posturální rovnováha * MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
