This article is part of the supplement: 3rd Congress of the International Foot and Ankle Biomechanics Community

Open Access Oral presentation

The validity of footprint-based measures of arch structure: revisiting the debate of fat versus flat feet in adults

Hin-Chung Lau1,2*, Scott C Wearing1,2, Nicole L Grigg3 and James E Smeathers3

Author Affiliations

1 Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Queensland, 4229, Australia

2 Centre of Excellence for Applied Sport Science Research, Queensland Academy of Sport, Queensland, 4111, Australia

3 Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, 4059, Australia

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Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 2012, 5(Suppl 1):O54 doi:10.1186/1757-1146-5-S1-O54

Published: 10 April 2012

First paragraph (this article has no abstract)

Previous research employing footprint-based measures of arch structure, such as the arch index (AI), have indicated that obesity results in a ‘flatter’ foot type [1]. In the absence of radiographic measures, however, definitive conclusions regarding the osseous alignment of the foot cannot be made. This study evaluated the effect of Body Mass Index (BMI) on radiographic and footprint-based measures of adult arch structure.