Has pes planus got a relation with achilles tendon?

Has Pes Planus Got a Relation with Achilles Tendon? Pes planus is generally referred as an anomaly, which results from arcus longitudinalis medialis height increase, decrease or the elimination of this height. Achilles tendon is known as the thickest and the strongest tendon of the body and it is at the back at the ankle, it is a strong plantar flexor of the ankle. The mechanism of the pes planus which can cause the increase of the risk in lower limb pathologies is not fully understood. However former studies carried out with the participants who are not wounded, by comparing pes planus and those without pes planus it is claimed that there are differences between lower limb kinetics, kinematics and muscle functions. A thinner tendon can be more at risk of rupture and tendinopathy than a thicker one. The connection between foot type and Achilles tendinopathy is not clear. In our study 59 people aged 9 to 16 is divided into two groups one with a diagnosis of flexible pes planus and health ones. For both group age, height and leg length, weights, Achilles tendon lengths and cross sections are specified. To analyze the data dependent and independent T-test and backward multi regression method are used. According to findings, the flexible pes planus has no effect on Achilles tendon lengths and ıt's cross sections area, ages, heights, leg and foot lengths; nevertheless it is highly possible to see flexible pes planus in overweight people. Besides a (-) correlation is found between Achilles section mean and age, and a (+) correlation is found between Achilles section mean and foot size. Pes Planus must be kept in mind as a clue for a thinner Achilles tendon morphometric that can be a risk factor in lower limb pathologies, foot size, age and weight. Key words: Flexible pes planus, Achilles tendon thickness, arcus longitudinalis medialis