Influence of childhood overweight and obesity on foot and lower limb pain in a population of primary school children

Abstract

Introduction: In childhood, juvenile obesity affects the functional characteristics of the lower limb, predisposing children to pain, discomfort and musculoskeletal comorbidities. This cross-sectional descriptive study analyses the relationship between childhood overweight/obesity and foot/lower limb pain in a population of primary school children. Material and methods: The study population consisted of 150 children aged 9-12 years recruited at a primary school in Malaga (Spain). None had pathologic feet. Anthropometric and demographic data were compiled by questionnaire and by personal interview. Among other variables, the foot posture index was calculated and knee alignment was measured. In the statistical analysis, the dependent variables considered were foot and lower limb pain, and the predictor variables were age, sex, body mass index, sports activity, foot posture index and knee alignment. A descriptive analysis of these variables was performed, together with an association analysis (using the c 2 test) and a multivariate analysis (using binary logistic regression). Results: In the study sample, 47.3% were girls, 15.3% were overweight and 12.7% obese. The overall prevalence of foot pain was 10.7% and that of lower limb pain, 27.3%. Of the study variables analyzed, the only ones significantly related to both foot pain and lower limb pain were overweight and obesity. Conclusions: Overweight and obesity are the main factors related to pain in the feet and lower limbs in primary school children.

Foot posture index and body composition measures in children with and without developmental coordination disorder

“…A thicker fat pad increases the amount of deformable soft tissue forming a larger contact area and a higher pressure on the foot [ 39 – 41 ]. As a higher body weight is speculated to influence lower limb muscle activities [ 42 ] and pain in the foot and lower limbs [ 43 ], the weight-related flattening of MLA gives further insight on the differential muscle activation patterns in children with DCD during walking [ 3 ]. Whether a higher body weight and total fat percentage have comparable effects on plantar pressure and structure remains unknown.…”

Metabolic Derangement in Pediatric Patient with Obesity: The Role of Ketogenic Diet as Therapeutic Tool

“…Obesity is associated to a chronic low-grade inflammatory state, whose effects affect almost all organ systems, with an increased risk of endocrine, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, reproductive, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, and psychological complications [ 17 , 30 ]. They include hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cholelithiasis asthma, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, hyperandrogenemia, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), foot and lower limb pain, and musculoskeletal comorbidities [ 2 , 31 , 32 ].…”

“…Obesity is a complex, many-faceted status that exposes the pediatric patients to a wide spectrum of inflammatory, metabolic, and endocrine dysfunctions, which influence and enhance each other through biochemical and molecular interactions [1]. Pediatric obesity exposes the affected subjects to a higher risk of short-and long-term complications, such as type 2 diabetes (T2DM), dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), asthma, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), musculoskeletal comorbidities [2], and adolescents with obesity are at increased risk of psychological disturbances [3][4][5].…”

Traceable Features of Static Plantar Pressure Characteristics and Foot Postures in College Students with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

“…The average static plantar pressure in children with diplegic and hemiplegic CP was higher on the forefoot and midfoot regions, while lower on the rearfoot region [ 6 ]. In addition to plantar pressure distribution, foot posture index (FPI), heel and knee alignment are considered to be the key factors of affecting foot pressure and the feasible methods to assess variations of the angle and motion behavior of lower extremities and lower limb defects [ 20 , 21 ]. As in the study by Yan et al [ 22 ], they observed that children experienced unstable walking due to a flatter foot and a larger foot axis angle as well as altered foot pressure while walking, compared with non-obese children.…”