Sensorimotor Technique on Navicular Drop in School Going Children

Pes planus, commonly known as flat foot, is a frequently observed musculoskeletal condition characterized by the diminution or collapse of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. It is typically associated with hind-foot valgus and forefoot abduction, which lead to altered load distribution and biomechanical misalignment during gait.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effects of sensorimotor technique program with Short foot exercises on navicular drop and foot posture in school going children. An experimental study will be conducted including 22 flat foot children. The sample will be collected from Educators school Jinnah campus, Lahore. After selection according to the inclusion criteria, they will be randomly assigned to either experimental or control group. Baseline demographic will be gathered using a structured questionnaire, while navicular drop will be evaluated using navicular drop test and foot posture will be evaluated using foot posture index. Data collection will commence with an initial assessment when patients meet the inclusion criteria at the baseline level, followed by assessments after 3 weeks, and at the end of 6th week of intervention

• sensorimotor technique (Other): It's a method used in therapy ,rehab, and skill training where you deliberately activate sensory systems -touch , proprioception , balance , vision - to trigger better motor responses .
• short foot exercise (Other): It's a foot -strengthening move where you shorten your foot by lifting the arch without curling your toes or lifting your heel /ball of the foot.You're basically engaging the small intrinsic muscles in your foot to create a dome under your arch.

Primary outcomes

• Improve foot posture [6 weeks]: Use sensorimotor technique + short foot exercise to improve foot posture by retraining your brain -foot connection.Do short foot barefoot on a textured surface to increase sensory input.Pull your arch up without curling toes or lifting heel/ball.Then hold that ''short foot'' while doing balance moves like single-leg stands.This teaches the small foot muscles to sense the ground and hold your arch automatically during walking and standing.

Secondary outcomes

• Improve foot flexibility [6 weeks]: Improve foot flexibility by combining sensorimotor input with short foot exercise so your foot gains mobility and learns to control it.Do short foot on a textured surface to boost sensory feedback.Slowly lift and lower the arch instead of just holding, and add toe movements or roll a ball underfoot between sets.This helps joints move more freely while taining the small foot muscles to support the arch through that range.Result:better toe spread and midfoot mobility without losing stability.

Sex: All, ages: 7 Years to 12 Years, accepts healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

* Children aged 7-12 years.
* Both male and female gender
* Children with flat foot
* Navicular drop (ND) > 10 mm.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Children with developmental delays, sensory deficits, or uncorrected vision issues.
* History of foot or ankle surgery
* Pain in lower extremities
* BMI > 25 kg/m²
* Severe foot deformities, hallux valgus, crow toe etc.

• Mosca VS. Flexible flatfoot in children and adolescents. J Child Orthop. 2010 Apr;4(2):107-21. doi: 10.1007/s11832-010-0239-9. Epub 2010 Feb 18. PMID 21455468

• Tahira makiya, MS-PT, Principal investigator, Riphah International University