İLKŞAN DEMİRBÜKEN, BAHAR ÖZGÜL, EREN TİMURTAŞ, SAADET UFUK YURDALAN, MURAT DİNÇER ÇEKİN, MİNE GÜLDEN POLAT

Gender and age impact on plantar pressure distribution in early adolescence

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate gender and age effect on dynamic plantar pressure distribution in early adolescence. Methods: Atotalof524adolescents(211womenand313men;meanage:12.58±1.11years(range:11e14 years)) participated in pedobarographic measurements during gait at self-selected speed. Data of peak pressure(PP),maximumforce(MaxF-Newton),bodyweightcorrectedmaximumforce(BW_MaxF),contact area (CA-cm2) were analyzed for total foot and four plantar regions (hindfoot, midfoot, forefoot and toes). Results: Higher toes PP was found in the ages of 12e14 years in females compared to males (253.79 ± 104.93 vs 216.00 ± 81.12 for the age of 12, p¼0.011, 264.40 ± 65.02 vs227.21 ± 83.4 for the age of 13, p ¼ 0.044, 299.75 ± 140.60 vs 238.75 ± 103.32 for the age of 14, p ¼ 0.005). Females' higher MaxF especially for toes (136.24 ± 48.54 vs 115.33 ± 46.03, p ¼ 0.008) and smaller CA especially for forefoot (50.12 ± 5.79 vs 54.4893 ± 6.80, p ¼ 0.001) were considerable in the late of early adolescence. Forefoot (305.66 ± 82.14 females p ¼ 0.001, 281.35 ± 79.59 males p < 0.001) and total foot PP (374.08 ± 113.93 females, p ¼ 0.035, 338.61 ± 85.85 males p ¼ 0.009) at the age of 14 was signiﬁcantly higher than in younger ages in both gender groups. Conclusion: The results indicate thatespecially the age of 14 years in earlyadolescence is a critical age for alteration in plantar pressure distribution. Interestingly females tended to increase their toe and forefoot plantar pressures compared to males by increasing age. We suggest that gender and age impact on toes plantar pressure alterations in early adolescence maybea possible risk factor forfurther foot impairments.

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