Static Plantar Pressure under Different Conditions in Children with Surgically Treated Unilateral Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

TL;DR

This study examines how children with a hip condition distribute weight on their feet under different postural conditions after surgery.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into foot loading differences in children post-surgery for hip disease under varied postural conditions.

Findings

Unaffected limbs showed higher foot loading than affected ones across all conditions.

Weight distribution at specific foot regions changed significantly between postural conditions.

Postural changes like closing eyes or tilting the head affected foot pressure patterns.

Abstract

Background: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is the most common hip disease during infancy and adolescence. Our study aimed to analyze static plantar pressure in children with surgically treated unilateral SCFE. Methods: Twenty-two children with right SCFE with in situ fixation with one percutaneous screw were assessed by PoData plantar pressure analysis under three different conditions (open eyes, eyes closed, and head retroflexed). Results: The total foot loading was significantly higher on the unaffected limb compared with the affected one for all the three testing conditions (p < 0.05). When assessing the differences between testing conditions, there were no significant differences for the right and left foot loadings, or for the three sites of weight distribution, except for the right fifth metatarsal head (lower loading in eyes-closed condition in comparison to eyes open, p = 0.0068), left fifth metatarsal head (increased loading in head-retroflexed condition in comparison to eyes open, p = 0.0209), and left heel (lower loading in head-retroflexed condition in comparison to eyes open, p = 0.0293). Conclusion: Even after a successful surgical procedure, differences in foot loading can impact the postural static activities in different conditions (natural eyes-open, eyes-closed, or head-retroflexed posture).

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