Effect of Core Stability Exercises in Individuals With Bilateral Flexible Flat Foot

NCT ID: NCT07140861

Last Updated: 2025-11-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-01
• Study Completion Date: 2026-05-01

Brief Summary

There is a gap of literature about the role of core stability exercises on management of flexible flatfoot, as a result this study will take a deeper look on the effect of core stability exercises on navicular height, Arch height index, balance and disability function of ankle joint in individuals with bilateral flexible flat foot.

Detailed Description

It was proved that Individuals with flexible flat foot have reduced core stability. Thus, core stability must be assessed while treating individuals with flexible flat foot and interventions that address core stability must be included in the treatment of flexible flat foot . It was demonstrated that there was a poorer balance in individual with bilateral flexible flat foot. Therefore, it is recommended to add balance training exercises to traditional physical therapy program in cases of flatfoot patients .

40 Participants of both genders with bilateral flexible flatfoot. will be assigned randomly into 2 equal groups: Group A (control group): will receive conventional therapy. Group B (Experimental group): will receive core training protocol and conventional therapy. Subjects will receive 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks.

Outcome measures:

1. Navicular height: will be evaluated by navicular drop test.

2. Medial longitudinal arch height: will be evaluated by Arch height index (AHI).

3. Balance: will be evaluated by Biodex Balance System.

4. Disability function of ankle joint: will be evaluated by Arabic version of foot function index scale.

Conditions

Flat Feet

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Control group

Control group will receive conventional treatment

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Conventional

Intervention Type: OTHER

patients will receive conventional therapy that include

1. Short foot exercises

2. Towel-curl exercise

3. Heel raise exercise

4. Calf stretch

Study group

Study group: will receive core training protocol and conventional therapy.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Conventional

Intervention Type: OTHER

patients will receive conventional therapy that include

1. Short foot exercises

2. Towel-curl exercise

3. Heel raise exercise

4. Calf stretch

Experimental

Intervention Type: OTHER

Core stability exercises:

The training programs will last 6 weeks and comprise 3 training sessions per week. Each training session lasted 30 min, starting with a brief, standardized warm-up program mainly consisting of low-intensity core strength exercises to prepare the neuromuscular system for the training loads and ending with a cool-down program (i.e., dynamic stretching). During the main part of training, research group will conduct the "big 3" exercises as described by McGill (Mcgill, 2001). These include the curl-up, side bridge, and quadruped position. In other words, every single training session consisted of frontal, dorsal, and lateral core exercises. Training intensity will be progressed and individually increased over the 6-week training program by modulating lever lengths, movement velocity

Interventions

Conventional

patients will receive conventional therapy that include

1. Short foot exercises

2. Towel-curl exercise

3. Heel raise exercise

4. Calf stretch

Intervention Type: OTHER

Experimental

Core stability exercises:

The training programs will last 6 weeks and comprise 3 training sessions per week. Each training session lasted 30 min, starting with a brief, standardized warm-up program mainly consisting of low-intensity core strength exercises to prepare the neuromuscular system for the training loads and ending with a cool-down program (i.e., dynamic stretching). During the main part of training, research group will conduct the "big 3" exercises as described by McGill (Mcgill, 2001). These include the curl-up, side bridge, and quadruped position. In other words, every single training session consisted of frontal, dorsal, and lateral core exercises. Training intensity will be progressed and individually increased over the 6-week training program by modulating lever lengths, movement velocity

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. 40 Participants of both genders with bilateral flexible flatfoot.

2. Their age ranges from 18 to 39 years.

3. All Participants with a navicular drop (ND) greater than 10 mm.

4. Body mass index from 18.5-25 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria

1. Traumatic condition of the lower limbs.

2. History of Fracture of the lower limbs.

3. previous orthopedic disorders or neurologic deficit of the lower limbs.

4. Previous surgery of the lower limbs.

5. Any sensory problems.

6. Leg length discrepancy.

7. Neuromuscular disease like multiple scelerosis.

8. Unilateral flexible flat foot.

9. Rigid flat foot.

10. Any lumbar spine problems

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Cairo University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Doaa Rafat

Assistant professor of physical therapy

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Magda Gaid Professor of physical therapy - Cairo University

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Department of Basic sciences for physical therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy , Cairo university, Cairo, Egypt

Ahmed Abdou, Assistant lecturer

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Department of Basic sciences for physical therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy , Cairo university, Cairo, Egypt

Locations

Physical therapy College - Cairo university

Cairo, , Egypt

Site Status: RECRUITING

Physical Therapy faculty, Cairo University

Cairo, , Egypt

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Egypt

Central Contacts

Doaa Rafat Assistant professor of physical therapy - Cairo university, Assistant professor

Role: CONTACT

doaa.rafat@pt.cu.edu.eg

201005591580

Mohamed Elgendy Professor of physical therapy - Cairo university

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

Ahmed Abdou

Role: primary

ahmed_pt2010@cu.edu.eg

00201005591580

Doaa Assistant professor of physical therapy, Assistant professor

Role: primary

doaa.rafat@pt.cu.edu.eg

00201005591580

Other Identifiers

Physical Therapy 52043

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id