INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL LOCATION ON FOOT ARCH STATUS IN CHILDREN OF EARLY SCHOOL AGE
Keywords:
foot arch, school location, flat foot, children, pediatric healthAbstract
Abstract examines the influence of school location as an environmental determinant of foot arch status in children of early school age. The research represents an extension of a previously conducted study on the same cohort of participants from the Municipality of Kavadarci, which focused on the association between body composition components and foot arch morphology. In contrast, the present paper specifically analyzes school location (central versus peripheral schools) in order to determine whether environmental schooling conditions are associated with differences in the prevalence of normal, flat, and high-arched feet.
The study included a total of 1,236 children aged 7–10 years, comprising 622 boys and 614 girls. Foot arch status was assessed using digital plantography under standardized conditions, allowing objective classification of foot types. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test to evaluate the association between school location and foot arch status separately for boys and girls.
The results revealed certain percentage differences, with a slightly higher prevalence of flat feet among children attending peripheral schools. However, no statistically significant association was identified between school location and foot arch status in either sex. These findings suggest that school location alone does not represent a dominant determinant of foot arch development in early school-age children. The results further support existing evidence indicating that biological and anthropometric factors play a more substantial role in pediatric foot morphology. A multifactorial medical approach is therefore essential in early screening and prevention strategies targeting pediatric foot deformities.
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