FEATURES OF PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR FLAT FEET IN YOUNG ATHLETES TREATING FLAT FEET IN YOUNG ATHLETES: A PHYSICAL THERAPY APPROACH

Abstract

The goal is to develop and substantiate a physical therapy program for correcting flat feet in young athletes of various sports specializations. Material and methods. The research was carried out at the City Specialized Children and Youth Sports School, Olympic Reserve, Kharkiv, focusing on the Figure Skating Department. A total of 10 participants were involved in the study. A hypothesis was formulated and subsequently validated regarding the adverse effects of specific loads in figure skating on athletes' feet. Following the acquisition of results, an affirming experiment was undertaken, involving young athletes from diverse specializations. Results. Engaging in sports carries inherent risks of diverse injuries. The prevalence of flat feet among athletes is extensively discussed in the literature, with statistics indicating that 50 to 92% of athletes across various specializations exhibit alterations in their foot arches. Addressing this issue becomes imperative, specifically through the development of an optimal rehabilitation program for children-athletes with flat feet in different specializations. An effective rehabilitation program for flat feet among young athletes of various specializations was formulated and experimentally evaluated. All athletes included in the study exhibited flat feet of the 1st or 2nd degree in their medical history. In a majority of cases, this condition was coupled with a valgus deformity. Notably, the degree of foot deformity varied between the right and left lower limbs in some instances. The rehabilitation program was seamlessly integrated into the warm-up phase of the training routine and implemented three times a week over a period of six weeks. Conclusions. The study findings conclusively highlight the efficacy of the program, as evidenced by the parameters derived from the experiment. There was a notable increase in the height of both the longitudinal and transverse arches, a reduction in the abduction angle of the 1st toe, and enhanced strength in the foot muscles. Rigorous statistical analysis of the collected data further substantiated their reliability, firmly establishing the effectiveness of the proposed rehabilitation program for athletes with flat feet. Additionally, it is noteworthy that this program can serve as a preventive measure against the development of flat feet.