Distribution of Foot Arch Type and Associated Symptoms in Medical Students at Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University

Abstract

Objective: To determine the distribution of foot arch type, associated symptoms, and factors associated with moderate to severe pain Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was collected data from 5th year medical students, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University in academic year 2020. The distribution of foot arch type used the footprint and classified by Harris imprint index (HII), Chippaux-Smirak index (CSI), Staheli index (SI). The associated symptoms were collected into pain and tightness. Pain score was rated by the volunteer using numeric rating scale (NRS) at each foot/leg separately. Results: A total of ninety-eight medical students (196 feet) were recruited and analyzed. The distribution of foot arch type by HII, CSI and SI were 1) bilateral normal arched feet: 42.9%, 67.3%, 54.1% 2) bilateral pes planus: 8.2%, 12.2%, 21.4% 3) bilateral pes cavus: 25.5%, 6.1%, 5.1% 4) unilateral pes planus: 2%, 9.2%,15.3% 5) unilateral pes cavus: 21.4%, 5.1%, 4.1%, respectively. The most commonly associated symptom of pes planus was midfoot pain (17%) while pes cavus and normal arched foot were hindfoot pain (22.4% and 17.3%). The factor associated with moderate to severe pain was BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 (OR = 3.23, 95%CI 1.63 - 6.41, p-value = 0.001). Conclusion: Bilateral normal arched feet were mostly found. Midfoot pain in pes planus and hindfoot pain in pes cavus and normal arched foot were the greatest symptoms. BMI was a risk factor.