PhD N.A. Gross
Russian Federal Research Center of Physical Culture and Sports (VNIIFK), Moscow

Since the load on feet is the highest in vertical posture, foot developmental trainings are critical for the handicapped children’s postural control skills in any motor situation. Sampled for the study purposes were the children (n=95) diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism and some other functionality disorders. The foot function was rated using a computerized Pad Professional Test system to obtain the following test data: load distribution on the sole; shift of the body mass center (BMC) vertical projection on the sole; load on every foot in vertical posture; load on the front and back parts of the foot; effective sole square; and mean/ maximal pressure on the sole.
The study data and analyses showed the cerebral palsy group lagging behind the others in the effective sole square with the foot pressure being relatively high. The growing effective sole square in this group was found associated with the growing pressure on the internal edge of the sole under the metatarsus bone; with 30% of the sample diagnosed with flat deformations in the feet. The study found a non-linear correlation between the loads on the frontal part of the foot and heel that may be attributed to paresis/ paralysis of the foot extensor muscles or compensatory equines i.e. adaptation to short-leg-specific walking deficiencies. Some children kept the big toe unloaded when stepping on the frontal part of the foot. The autism-diagnosed group was tested with an expressed asymmetry in the foot support function with the right foot overloading indicative of the postural control imbalances. The other groups had evenly distributed loads on the both feet indicative of the relatively fair support function.

Keywords: children with motor function disorders, foothold, load on foot.

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