title: Relationship between obesity and plantar pressure distribution in youths with Down syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to characterize the effect of obesity on foot-ground contact in young individuals affected by Down syndrome (DS) during quiet upright stance.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study on 118 individuals with Down syndrome, 59 with obesity aged 3-18 yrs and 59 with normal weight, age- and sex-matched forming the control group. Both groups were evaluated while standing on a pressure-sensitive mat. Foot-ground contact was characterized using contact area and mean pressure calculated for the rearfoot, the midfoot, and the forefoot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that obesity significantly influences the foot-ground interaction, with some differences related to sex. In particular, the females with obesity exhibited larger contact areas and higher plantar pressures (in the forefoot and the midfoot) with respect to the control group, whereas in the males with obesity, only the plantar pressures were found higher than those of the controls. Flatfoot is the prevalent arch type for both groups, but its incidence seems to be unrelated to obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modifications introduced by obesity in foot-ground contact pressure and area may represent a factor capable of aggravating existing negative podiatric issues associated with Down syndrome. Thus, planning periodical monitoring of foot-ground contact during childhood and adolescence is recommended to avoid possible problems related to adverse effects of repeated excessive mechanical stresses on the plantar region.
authors: From the Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy (MP); Bioengineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy (MG, MC); and IRCCS "San Raffaele Pisana," Tosinvest Sanità, Rome, Italy (MG, GA).
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: Pau
authors: Manuela
authors: M
authors: Galli
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: Crivellini
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Albertini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005413:Flatfoot / Q000503:physiopathology; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011312:Pressure; D012737:Sex Factors