The Prevalence of Flatfoot in Taoyuan Teenagers

桃園地區青少年扁平足盛行率

10.6315/2010.38(4)03

葉圜叡(Huan-Jui Yeh)；羅惠郁(Huei-Yu Lo)；韋有維(Yau-Wai Wai)

扁平足 ； 青少年 ； 盛行率 ； 身體質量指數 ； flatfoot ； teenager ； prevalence ； BMI

台灣復健醫學雜誌

38卷4期（2010 / 12 / 01）

223 - 228

英文

前言：扁平足盛行率隨著年齡層的不同而相異，對於扁平足兒童是否應接受治療目前也尚無共識。在台灣，絕大部分對於扁平足的研究都局限於兒童而少見針對青少年的報告，因此，本研究之目的在於建立台灣局部地區青少年扁平足之盛行率之資料。 方法：本實驗收錄544位12至14歲台灣桃園的青少年，運用三種足印分析法（包含plantar arch index大於1.15；Denis grade大於等於1；footprint index小於1公分）作爲診斷扁平足的依據，同時量測身高、體重並計算身體質量指數(BMI)。另使用獨立樣本t檢定分析扁平足與非扁平足青少年在身高、體重、身體質量指數與性別上是否有差異。 結果：桃園區青少年扁平足之盛行率介於11.6%到37.6%之間，其差異來自於分析方式之不同，另外，扁平足青少年相較於非扁平足青少年有較重的體重及較大的身體質量指數。 結論：台灣桃園地區青少年之扁平足盛行率相對高於其他研究，其原因可能是人種間既存的差異以及台灣青少年日漸增高的肥胖問題，此推論仍有待更多的實驗予以證實。

Background: The prevalence of flatfoot is various among each age group, and whether children with flatfoot should receive treatment or not is still controversial. Most studies of flatfoot in Taiwan place emphases on children but not on teenagers. This research aimed to establish a database of a prevalence of flatfoot among Taiwanese local teenagers. Methods: Five hundred forty-four 12- to 14-year-old teenagers in Taoyuan were enrolled in this study. Footprint analysis methods were used to diagnose a flatfoot (plantar arch index more than 1.15 or Denis grade equal or more than grade 1 or footprint index less than 1 cm). The height, body weight, and body mass index were recorded and compared using independent t tests to identify the statistical significances between teenagers with and without a flatfoot. Results: The prevalence of flatfoot in teenagers in Taoyuan, Taiwan, ranged from 11.6% to 37.6%. This variation was attributed to the different footprint analysis methods used. The prevalence of flatfoot was highly correlated with body weight and body mass index. Conclusions: The prevalence of flatfoot in teenagers in Taoyuan, Taiwan, was relatively higher than that reported in other studies. The causes may be the initial differences between races and the increased body weight of teenagers in Taiwan. These hypotheses need further studies to confirm.