The Distribution of Foot Arch Types among Footballers in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Background: The foot arch plays a vital role in human movement, acting as a shock absorber and stabilizer during physical activities. Aim: This study examines the distribution of foot arch types among footballers in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Method: A total of 56 subjects (22 females and 34 males) between the ages of 18 and 30 years were recruited for the study. The foot arches were measured using a goniometer, and the calcaneal inclination angle (CIA) was determined and documented. Data analysis used the International Business Machines Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) version 25. The t-test was used as an inferential statistic to evaluate sexual differences. Chi-square tests were conducted to assess any significant associations between foot arch type. A probability less than 0.05 (p<0.05) was considered statistically significant, and 95% was denoted as the confidence level. Result: The study identified only two foot arch types among participants: 62% had normal arches and 38% had high arches. No flat foot (pes planus) cases were observed. There was no significant difference in age between the normal and high foot arch subjects (t = -0.74; p = 0.46). Also, it showed no significant difference was observed in the weight of normal and high-foot arch subjects (t = -0.87; p = 0.39), while the normal and high-foot arch players showed no significant difference in height (t = -1.22; p = 0.23). Conclusion: The study evaluated that sex, weight, height, and leg dominance were not significantly associated with foot arch types