Plyometric vs. Intrinsic Foot Muscle Training in Pediatric Flatfoot

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the order of exercises in a training program affects foot mechanics and physical performance in children with flexible flatfoot. Flexible flatfoot is common in children and can affect how weight is distributed on the foot, balance, and athletic abilities. While both foot-strengthening exercises and jump training (plyometrics) are helpful, it is not known which one should be done first to get the best results. In this study, thirty-six young male football players with flexible flatfoot were divided into three groups. The first group performed jump training followed by foot muscle strengthening. The second group did the foot muscle strengthening first, followed by jump training. The third group served as a control group and did not change their usual training. The researchers measured changes in foot pressure, balance, jumping height, muscle force, and sprint speed before and after the training to find out which exercise order is most effective for improving athletic performance and foot loading.

Inclusion Criteria: * Participants were required to be actively practising youth football players aged between 9 and 12 years with a clinically and podographically confirmed diagnosis of bilateral flexible flatfoot according to the study's predefined diagnostic criteria. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants were excluded if they presented any history of lower limb orthopaedic surgery, a musculoskeletal injury within the preceding six months, or a diagnosed neurological disorder.