Walking With Minimalist Shoes to Promote Intrinsic Foot Muscle Growth and Foot Arch Integrity in Preschool Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 入组人数
- 116
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- IFM strength in Newton
研究概览
简要总结
This is a single-blind randomized control study that will investigate the effects of a 12-week in-school walking training with minimalist shoes for local preschool children on intrinsic foot muscle size, muscle strength, and foot arch stiffness. The children in the control group will wear traditional footwear with arch support. It is hypothesized that walking with minimalist shoes may impose a positive impact to strengthen the IFM and promote foot arch stiffness for preschool children.
详细描述
Intrinsic foot muscles(IFM) are the prime stabilizers of the foot. When the IFM become weakened and unstable, the foot and lower limb become more vulnerable to injury. IFM develop across early childhood and evidence suggests that the critical time window for foot arch development is the first 6 years of life (i.e., preschool age). Human's feet and arches developed naturally due to the daily loads imposed on them, while evidence for using protective footwear to promote arch development is very weak. Moreover, the investigation suggested that local children may have a danger in insufficient daily physical activity. Thus the children may be at high risk for having weak feet.
Minimalist shoes are defined as footwear with little to no cushioning, highly flexible soles, and no arch support devices. Minimalist shoes are shaped with a wide toe box, allowing the foot to move more naturally than when confined in conventional footwear. Both running and walking studies have shown that the use of minimalist shoes increases IFM strength by increasing the mechanical load to the foot. Measuring the strength of individual IFM is challenging at best. However, muscle strength has been directly correlated with muscle size. As a result, studies have used imaging techniques such as MRI and ultrasound to measure foot muscle size. A very recent study suggests that walking with minimalist shoes increased the cross-sectional area (CSA), thickness and strength of IFM in adults. Similar findings have been reported by another study adopting a 12-week program.
This study aims to investigate the effects of a 12-week in-school walking training with minimalist shoes for local preschool children on intrinsic foot muscle size, muscle strength, and foot arch stiffness.
In view of the treatment effectiveness and user-friendliness, walking with minimalist shoes may impose a positive impact to strengthen the IFM and promote foot arch stiffness for preschool children.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- Single (Investigator)
盲法说明
Assessment will be conducted by independent researchers who are not involved in subject allocation.
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 3 Years 至 6 Years（Child）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •no history of known neurological or orthopedic conditions
- •presentation of flexible flatfeet with the Chippaux-Smirak Index >0.6
排除标准
- •having previous experience using minimalist footwear
- •presenting with any symptoms in the lower limbs within the last three months
结局指标
主要结局
IFM strength in Newton
时间窗: The assessment will be performed at 12 weeks
IFM strength will be measured using a specifically designed dynamometer. Each subject will perform a series of three foot strength tests in a randomized order i.e., doming, hallux flexion, and flexion of the first three lesser toes for the dominant foot. During the data collection, the subjects will be asked to hold the peak force for at least 3 seconds and each test will be performed thrice.
Thickness of flexor hallucis brevis in cm
时间窗: The assessment will be performed at 12 weeks
An ultrasound scanning unit coupled with a linear array probe will be used to image the thickness of flexor hallucis brevis of the dominant foot.
Cross-sectional area of abductor hallucis in cm^2
时间窗: The assessment will be performed at 12 weeks
An ultrasound scanning unit coupled with a linear array probe will be used to image the cross sectional area of flexor digitorum brevis of the dominant foot.
Cross-sectional area of flexor digitorum brevis in cm^2
时间窗: The assessment will be performed at 12 weeks
An ultrasound scanning unit coupled with a linear array probe will be used to image the cross sectional area of flexor digitorum brevis of the dominant foot.
次要结局
- Foot arch stiffness(The assessment will be performed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks)
研究者
Dr Roy Tsz-hei CHEUNG
Associate Professor
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University