TY  - JOUR
AU  - Molina-García, Cristina
AU  - Banwell, George
AU  - Álvarez-Salvago, Francisco
AU  - Reinoso-Cobo, Andrés
AU  - Pujol-Fuentes, Clara
AU  - Medina Luque, Jose
AU  - Ramos-Petersen, Laura
TI  - Efficacy of Functional Re-Education as a Treatment for Infantile Flexible Flatfoot: Systematic Review
JO  - Children
VL  - 12
IS  - 1
SN  - 2227-9067
CY  - Basel
PB  - MDPI
M1  - DZNE-2025-00100
SP  - 8
PY  - 2025
AB  - Background: Flexible pediatric flatfoot is an anatomical presentation of the foot that is common in children, and its functional impact raises long-term uncertainty. Functional re-education includes strengthening and stretching exercises for the intrinsic and extrinsic musculature of the foot, proposed as an effective conservative treatment. However, to date, there is no systematic review examining its effectiveness in the pediatric population. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of functional re-education as a conservative treatment for flexible pediatric flatfoot, determining which exercises are most effective. Methods: A search (PROSPERO: CRD42023391030) was conducted across six databases, resulting in an initial total of 327 studies. Of these, 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria, resulting in a sample of 419 children aged 6 to 14 years with a diagnosis of flexible flatfoot. The evaluated studies present variations in diagnostic criteria, types of exercises, and treatment duration. Results: The results indicate that functional re-education is effective in improving the symptomatology and functionality of the foot in children. In particular, exercises targeting the intrinsic musculature proved to be among the most effective treatments, improving the structural development of the medial longitudinal arch. The reviewed literature recommends a minimum treatment duration of eight weeks. Conclusions: Functional re-education represents an effective conservative treatment option for flexible flatfoot in children, positioning it as the treatment of choice for this condition.
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
C6  - pmid:39857838
DO  - DOI:10.3390/children12010008
UR  - https://pub.dzne.de/record/275865
ER  -