Investigation of the effects of femoral anteversion increase on static and dynamic plantar pressure in children without joint hypermobility

Introduction: Increased femoral anteversion is defined as an increase in the anterior rotation angle of the femoral head relative to the transcondylar axis of the knee. In pediatric clinics, increased femoral anteversion is generally observed together with joint hypermobility. There is no study in the literature investigating the effects of increased femoral anteversion without joint hypermobility on foot pressure during walking. Our study aims to investigate what kind of changes in plantar pressure during walking caused by increased femoral anteversion in non-hypermobile children. Method and Design: The study group had consist 33 non-hypermobile femoral anteversions and the control group had consist 28 non-hypermobile and without increased femoral anteversions. The plantar pressure analyzes of each patient during standing and walking barefoot were evaluated (Tekscan Inc. Mass. USA). Student t-test and Mann-Whitney U Test were used for statistical analysis (p<0.05) Results: Dynamic foot progression angle, foot coronal index, CoP's total, mid-stance and terminal stance phases medio-lateral mobility were decreased in the study group. T1, T2, T3, Ts, (Ts-T3) times and T1/Ts ratio increased. No significant changes were observed in other parameters. Conclusion: In children with hypermobility and increased femoral anteversion, pes valgus may compensate and hide it. Contrary to the studies in the literature stating that there is a correlation between increased femoral anteversion and pes plano-valgus, pes varus has been observed in children with increased femoral anteversion who are not hypermobile. Other biomechanical causes such as hypermobility or tibial external torsion may be associated with pes plano-valgus in these studies.