Correcting Pes planus in school-age girls: Evidence from a Children's After-School Club

Abstract

Pes planus (flatfoot) is common in school-age children and may impact posture, balance, and movement if left uncorrected. Early, low-cost interventions are important for preventing long-term complications and maintaining proper musculoskeletal development. This study evaluated whether an 8-week program delivered in children's after-school clubs can lead to measurable improvements in the foot arch. Thirty-two school-age girls (mean age: 9.33 ± 0.33 years) with diagnosed pes planus (i.e., flexible) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (N = 16, 50%), which received targeted foot exercises, or a control group (N = 16, 50%), which followed routine after-school clubs activities. The program was implemented three times per week for eight (consecutive) weeks. Medial longitudinal arch development was assessed before and after the program using the Srdečný's Index Method (i ≤ 1.7) and the Podo4Foot Cam (RGB) diagnostic tool, which provided precise footprint imaging and arch index calculations. The experimental group showed significant (p ˂ 0.01) improvements in the arch index for both feet, accompanied by large effect sizes (r = 0.60 - 0.62), suggesting clinically meaningful structural adaptations. No significant changes (p ˃ 0.05) were observed in the control group, confirming the specificity of the intervention's effects. Between-group comparisons at post-interventions also revealed statistically significant differences favoring the intervention (p < 0.01). These findings indicate that an 8-week, foot-specific corrective exercise program, when incorporated into children's after-school club settings, can effectively enhance medial longitudinal arch development in girls with flexible pes planus. The program's structured yet playful format promotes high adherence, accessibility, and minimal resource requirements. As such, this approach demonstrates strong potential as a preventive and corrective strategy for pediatric musculoskeletal health, contributing to improved posture, gait, and motor function in the school-age population.