Introduction. Foot arch condition plays an important role in correct setting of lower limbs joints, proper muscles tone and well-being [1]. More and more frequently foot arch deviations affect population of school age children [2, 3]. It is based on anatomic knowledge that abnormal foot arch is strongly connected with the disturbed muscle tone of lower limb. The aim of the presented study is to evaluate the relation between the foot arch condition and muscular balance of the lower limbs.Material and methods. Children were assessed using the Clarke’s angle and indicatory muscles length tests including: quadratus lumborum muscle, hamstring muscle, thigh adductors, piriformis muscle.Results. Abnormal foot arch was showed by 70% of subject children. The greatest number of muscles length abnormality was observed in quadratus lumborum muscles. There was a statistically significant correlation between right hamstring muscle contraction and abnormal foot arch (p = 0.011). Conclusions. Foot arch alternations increasingly more often appear in the greater number of school–age children. The assessment and therapy of abnormal foot arch should include the examination of muscular balance of the lower limbs.

Introduction: The control of body posture is based on the integration of polisensoric stimuli and conscious body image. Previous studies on the influence of vestibular functioning on postural disturbances have been inconclusive. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effect of vestibular input on the body posture. Material and methods: We examined 65 healthy children (40 girls, 25 boys) at school age 7-12 years. Children were assessed using Kasperczyk Visual-point Method and Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test. Statistical analysis was carried out using Statistica software. Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman test were used to determine dependency between quantitative and qualitative characteristics. A p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The greatest number of postural deviations was observed in the setting of the head (100%) and shoulders (72%). The median Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test score corresponded to the published standards. There was a significant association between lumbar hyperlordosis and the results of postrotatory nystagmus following rotation to the right (p=0.033). Conclusions: The fact that there was a significant association between an increased lumbar lordosis and postrotary nystagmus might indicate that the assessment and treatment of postural abnormalities should consider vestibular system examination. This study confirmed that a slight imbalance in the activity of vestibular might lead to postural disturbances.

Aim To assess rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients’ functional status and to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the original Foot Function Index (FFI) questionnaire to develop the Polish version. Methods Thirty-one female patients with RA participated in this observational study. The patient’s health statuses were evaluated with the culturally adopted FFI (FFI-PL), the Polish version of SF-36 (SF-36-PL), the Polish version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-PL) and a Visual Analogue Scale of foot pain (VAS-pain). Construct validity, internal consistency and criterion validity were calculated for the FFI Polish version after the translation and cross-cultural adaptation process. Results Subsequent analyses showed numerous significant correlations. The FFI-PL total results were moderately correlated with VAS-pain, BDI-PL and SF-36-PL. The FFI-pain results were highly correlated with the FFI total results. The FFI-disability results were correlated with the BDI-PL and SF-36-PL. Surprisingly, no correlations were found in the study group between FFI-PL results and age, working time, or years since diagnosis. Internal consistency of the Polish FFI ranges from 0.996 to 0.998. Test-retest analysis ranged from 0.985 to 0.994. Conclusions The FFI-PL is an effective tool for assessing RA patients’ functional status. The Polish adaptation of the FFI presents good to excellent psychometric properties. Polish researchers and clinicians may use this tool for foot and ankle assessment and monitoring.

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