Changes in Foot Posture With Age: Functional and Balance Effects

The foot is a terminal joint that opposes external resistance in the lower kinetic chain. It plays a primary role in weight transfer and ground response between the body and the ground. It plays a role in maintaining an upright posture, lowering the gravitational line against a narrow support surface during walking, providing stability and absorbing the shocks that occur during daily life activities.

Foot problems are common worldwide. These problems affect people negatively by giving symptoms during activities of daily living.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Foot Posture Index Score

Detailed Description

There is not much data on whether these changes are related to age or not. Deformities, kinetic chain disorders, and other problems that affect balance are likely to increase with age. For this reason, in our study, the relationship between foot posture and functional-balance was examined on the basis of age groups.

Body balance may be impaired by deficiencies in the strength and mechanical stability of any joint or structure along the lower extremity kinetic chain, or by decreased afferent feedback. It is necessary to know the foot posture and biomechanics about the causes of injury and susceptibility to injury during activities of daily living and sports.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 60

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye), 34070
    • Hazal GENÇ

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Individuals who will participate in the study will be reached via social media, whatsapp and message.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being between the ages of 20 - 65,
• Volunteer.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having a musculoskeletal or neuromuscular disease that limits mobility,
• Presence of lower extremity sequelae,

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

3

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Young Adult; 20-35
Mild Adults; 35-50
Older Adults; 50-65

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Foot Function Index	The foot function index was developed and widely used to measure the effects of foot pathologies on pain, disability and activity limitation. Foot function index; It consists of 23 items in 3 groups as pain, disability and activity limitation. While the pain and disability section consists of 9 questions, the activity limitation consists of 5 questions. The patients answer all the items considering their foot condition one week ago. The score of each section and the total score are calculated and we divide by the sum of the maximum scores of the items and multiply by 100.	1 day
Foot Posture Index	Foot Posture consists of palpation of 6 regions.; Talus head palpation; Curvature above and below the lateral malleolus; Inversion and eversion of os calcaneus; Protrusion in the talonavicular joint area; Harmony of the medial longitudinal arch; Abduction and adduction of the forefoot section relative to the hindfoot section. Each criterion is evaluated between -2 and +2 and this result is noted. Positive values indicate pronation, negative values indicate supination.	1 day
Single Leg Jump Test (TBS)	TBS test will be applied to evaluate the lower extremity functional performances of healthy individuals. While individuals are standing on one leg, the other leg is asked to jump forward with the knee bent and the point where the fingertip touches is marked. The jump distance is measured and the test is repeated 3 times and the average result is obtained. In our study, the single leg jump test will be used for both legs.	1 day
Y Balance Test	The leg lengths of all individuals are measured bilaterally. While measuring, individuals are asked to lie in their anterior, posteromedial and posterolateral directions. Each of the participants is informed before the measurement. Measurements were made in both legs and will be repeated 3 times. When calculating the total score, the values in centimeters of the 3 directions are added. Divide by the product of the length of the leg by 3 and multiply the result by 100 to reach the percentile.	1 day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): September 26, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 4, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 14, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): April 18, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 18, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 11, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: balance
• Other Study ID Numbers: Foot Posture Index

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No