Prevalence of Flat Foot Among School-Age Girls and its Relationship with Body Mass Index and Activity Level

Background: The foot and ankle are important structures in the skeletal system of the human body. Deviation in normal structure of the foot,such as in flat foot deformity, can lead to many health problems. Our study aimed to explore the prevalence of flexible flat foot (FFF) among school-age female students in the Ha'il region, Saudi Arabia, and to assess the association between the body mass index (BMI), activity level, and FFF in the selected samples. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 543 female students between 7 and 12 years of age. Data regarding age, height, weight, level of activity, and history of foot and or ankle pain experienced after physical activities were collected. BMI was calculated and FFF was diagnosed using the navicular drop test. Results: The current findings showed that approximately 20 degrees%o of the studied population had flat feet (FF) and 95 degrees%o of them were of the flexible type. The results did not support the existence of a relationship between BMI and the development of FFF. On the other hand, the pain was significantly and positively associated with FF (chi 2= 287.657, pConclusions: FFF is high among school-age female children between 7 and 12 years old in Ha'il region, Saudi Arabia. The existence of FF increases the risk of experiencing pain, especially with increasing physical activity.