Article

This study aimed to characterize the effect of obesity on foot-ground
contact in young individuals affected by Down syndrome (DS) during quiet upright
stance. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study on 118 individuals with Down
syndrome, 59 with obesity aged 3-18 yrs and 59 with normal weight, age- and
sex-matched forming the control group. Both groups were evaluated while standing
on a pressure-sensitive mat. Foot-ground contact was characterized using contact
area and mean pressure calculated for the rearfoot, the midfoot, and the
forefoot. RESULTS: The results show that obesity significantly influences the
foot-ground interaction, with some differences related to sex. In particular, the
females with obesity exhibited larger contact areas and higher plantar pressures
(in the forefoot and the midfoot) with respect to the control group, whereas in
the males with obesity, only the plantar pressures were found higher than those
of the controls. Flatfoot is the prevalent arch type for both groups, but its
incidence seems to be unrelated to obesity. CONCLUSIONS: The modifications
introduced by obesity in foot-ground contact pressure and area may represent a
factor capable of aggravating existing negative podiatric issues associated with
Down syndrome. Thus, planning periodical monitoring of foot-ground contact during
childhood and adolescence is recommended to avoid possible problems related to
adverse effects of repeated excessive mechanical stresses on the plantar region.

Langue : ANGLAIS