Foot Structure of Girls and Boys in the Final Stage of Early Childhood Taking into Account the Half-Yearly Age Ranges

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of foot structure in girls and boys in the final stage of early childhood, taking into account the half-yearly age ranges. The study was carried out among 800 children aged 3. The research tool was the podoscope CQ-ST. The collected research results were analyzed with the use of Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Statistically significant sex differences in the length of the right and left foot, the width of the right and left foot and Clarke's angle of the right and left foot in each of the identified age groups were found. There were statistically significant differences in the length of the right and left foot, the width of the right and left foot, and the Clarke's angle of the right and left foot were noted separately in girls and boys. Sexual dimorphism in foot length, foot width, and Clarke's angle occurs in 3-year-old children. In each of the age groups, boys are characterized by longer and wider, and lower arched right and left foot. Characteristic features differentiating children in the 1st and 2nd age group are foot length, foot width and Clarke's angle. Girls and boys in the 2nd age group have longer and wider, and higher arched right and left feet. This indicates a high dynamic of increases in the value of these features.