Correlation of Foot Posture with Balance and Quality of Movement in Football Players

NEED OF THE STUDY

In football, the foot is a unique anatomical, neurophysiologic, and functional structure that makes it possible to do difficult actions and maneuvers like standing, walking, and sprinting.[2] While playing football, foot injuries are common. It has been theorized that different foot postures affect how the lower limbs operate and cause injury.[1] Therefore, abnormal foot posture may affect balance and movement quality, which may directly affect over all performance of football players. From here, need of the study arises to check correlation of foot posture with dynamic balance and quality of movement, to improve performance of the football player.

 AIM

To check the correlation of different foot posture with dynamic balance and quality of movement in football players.

 OBJECTIVES

·       To assess foot posture by using foot posture index in football players.

·       To assess quality of movement by using functional movement screen in football players.

·       To assess dynamic balance by using y balance test score in football players.

·       To check correlation of balance and foot posture in football players.

·       To check correlation of functional movement and foot posture in football players.

PROCEDURE

After taking ethical approval from Institutional Ethical Committee, Football Players from various sports clubs and stadiums will be included in the study. After screening from inclusion and exclusion criteria. Players who fulfill the criteria of the study and willing to participant will be included. Written consent will be taken from the players, who are participating.

The foot posture index (FPI-6) will be used to scan and score the individuals’ feet first. This foot posture index is a verified measurement technique that has been used in many studies to characterize foot morphology and permits classification between three possible foot positions: supinated, pronated, or neutral. It assesses the foot of the subject using six parameters and provides a score that is gradually added up. The parameters are as follow- palpation of the talar head (A); supralateral and infra-lateral malleolus curvature (B); position of the frontal plane of the calcaneus (C); prominence in the neutral joint of the talar region (D); congruence of the medial longitudinal arch (E); and abduction/adduction of the forefoot over the hindfoot (F). Each criterion is evaluated from 2 to +2, with a range of −12 to +12. The total score can range from the maximum that would indicate a pronated foot position (+6 to +12), to an intermediate score (0 to +5) that corresponds to a neutral foot position, and the lowest possible score, which would be 12 to 1 and would be considered a supinated foot position.[1] To assess movement quality, Functional Movement Screen (FMS) tool will be used. For objective detection of body mobility, stability and movement control in athletes, and evaluates the quality of fundamental movement patterns to identify limitations or asymmetries in individuals. The seven tests are- deep squat (A), inline lunge (B), shoulder mobility assessment (C), active straight-leg raise (D), trunk stability push-up (E), hurdle step (F), rotary stability (G)[1]. Each test is evaluated on a scale of 0–3, and each individual performed each task three times, recording the lowest score achieved. score of 3 means that the participant has a correct movement pattern, a score of 2 means that the movement occurs with compensation but not in the correct way, and a score of 1 means that he could not perform the task in a coordinated or correct way, and 0 means that the subject has pain at any time during the movement. The total result of the sum of all points ranges from 0 to 21 points and allows the classification of the movement quality as perfect = 21, optimal 14–20, and poor <14. [1]

A screening tool called the YBT is used to assess dynamic balance in the anterior (A), posteromedial (PM), and posterolateral (PL) directions. Prior to the test, each participant’s anatomical leg length will be measured in the supine position and recorded as the distance between the distal end of the ipsilateral medial malleolus and the anterior superior iliac spine. Participants will complete three practice trials for each direction on each leg prior to the data-collection trials, after which they will move to a different station and have about five minutes to recover before being tested for three maximum reaches in the A, PM, and PL reach directions on the right and left legs. Reach distances are given as a percentage of leg length (reach distance/limb length) X 100 after being normalized to anatomical leg length. The formula for calculating the composite normalized reach distance for each leg is (ANT + PM + PL) / (3 X limb length) X 100. The difference in reach distance from right to left will be measured in centimeters (reach distance = [maximum right reach distance - maximum left reach difference]), and the total amount of reach asymmetry will be determined by adding the three reach direction differences.[3]