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Foot shape and its effect on functioning in Royal Australian Air Force recruits. Part 1: Prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE
To determine whether foot shape (flat, normal, or cavus feet) affects functioning among military recruits.


METHODS
A total of 230 Royal Australian Air Force recruits embarking on a 10-week basic training course took part in a prospective cohort study of foot shape and its effect on functioning. Recruits were divided into three groups based on their foot shape, i.e., flat feet (n = 22), normal feet (n = 139), and cavus feet (n = 44), with the diagnosis being made from the arch index measured from their footprints. The groups were assessed at baseline and week 8. Outcome measures included pain, injury, foot health, and quality of life.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in outcome measures at baseline. At the end of the trial, foot shape was not related to injury. The flat feet group had significantly poorer subjective physical health than did the normal feet group (p = 0.001).


CONCLUSION
This study provides high-level evidence that foot shape has little impact on pain, injury, and functioning among military recruits.