Kinematic analysis of gait in children with rigid flatfoot before and after surgical treatment

Aim – to study the kinematics and kinetics of walking in children with rigid flatfoot by comparing data before and after surgical operations.

Material and methods. The study included 51 patients (42 boys, 9 girls) with rigid flatfoot, with a mean age of 10.5 ± 1.4 years. They were stratified by disease stage and underwent surgical treatment using the author’s technique: ‘transposition of the m. peroneus longus tendon medially, shortening of the m. tibialis posterior tendon, and arthrodesis of the cuneo-navicular joint’.

Results. It was found that higher disease stages correlated with increased step time and support time, and decreased swing time, average walking speed, and step frequency (<0.01 to <0.001). Disease progression also exacerbated pathomorphological changes in the foot, driven by biomechanical dysfunction of the lower leg’s pronator and supinator muscles, alongside reduced gait energy efficiency.

Conclusion. Gait kinematic assessment, when combined with standard diagnostic tools for rigid flatfoot (e.g., radiography and podometry), enhances the identification of effective and precise treatment strategies. The proposed disease stage-adjusted corrective approach addresses all components of rigid flatfoot: it eliminates pathological pronation, restores supination and plantar flexion function, and achieves adequate foot arch reconstruction.