EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FOOT ARCH SUPPORTS ON DYNAMIC BALANCE IN NURSING PROFESSIONALS WITH FLATFOOT

BACKGROUND Flat foot, depletion of medial longitudinal arch affects almost 20% of adult global population; approximately 9-14% of schools going children are flat foot making the gender wise prevalence of about 13% girls and 7% boys, 11.25% population of age group between 18-25 years are diagnosed as flat footed. AIM The focus of this study is to device best possible strategy for the nurses to overcome their deformity and live as normal and pain free professional life as possible by providing foot supports that bring foot arches to normal or near normal position. METHOD The subjects were divided into two groups. Group A and Group B. Group A was asked to wear medial wedge support and group B was prescribed heel support for 3 weeks. RESULTS Result shows that both the orthosis are useful in forming the arch of foot, improving the dynamic balance and relieving the symptoms of flatfoot but medial wedge is found to be more efficient as compared to heel support. CONCLUSION It was concluded from the study that foot arch and heel support improves the flat foot, however medial longitudinal arch are found to be more therapeutically effective in recovering the foot arch in comparison to heel support.