DOI: 10.66235/kumj.1919132 ISSN: 2757-9336

An assessment of the prevalence of pes planus among Turkish and immigrant children of elementary school age

Zümrüt Doğan, Ramazan Karakaya, İlknur Sarı, Muhammed Emre Yüzer, Fatih Üçkardeş, Ali Aydın
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Background: The foot is a complex structure composed of bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments that bears body weight and enables movement while being continuously exposed to mechanical stress. Foot arches develop to reduce this stress; however, a decrease or loss of the medial longitudinal arch results in pes planus. Although its natural course is not fully understood, pes planus may arise from structural and environmental factors. While it is typically physiological in childhood, pathological cases may occur due to factors such as prolonged standing, inappropriate footwear habits, abnormal body weight, muscle weakness, or calcaneal damage.Aim: Previous studies suggest that pes planus may be influenced by environmental factors and nationality; however, its relationship with socio-economic characteristics remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of nationality and socio-economic factors on the prevalence of pes planus in children.Methods: The study included primary school students (grades 1–4, aged 6–9 years) comprising Turkish students attending private and public schools and Syrian students. Footprints were obtained using a wet footprint method and evaluated with the Staheli index. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0, with normality assessed by the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and comparisons made using the independent samples t-test (p<0.05).Results: Significant differences were found between Turkish and Syrian participants, whereas no significant differences were observed based on gender or socio-economic variables.Conclusion: These findings suggest that nationality-related factors may play a role in pes planus prevalence. Further research is needed to clarify contributing factors and to support preventive strategies aimed at reducing its long-term effects.

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