Effect of Toe Walking Exercises and Intrinsic Foot Muscle Exercises for Individuals With Flat Foot: A Comparative Study

Background and aim. Human feet possess a unique arched structure that distributes forces efficiently during movement. This stability relies on interplay between muscles and tendons. Flat feet (pes planus) are a common condition, yet its historical devel­opment remains poorly understood. This study addresses this gap by comparing two existing interventions for pes planus: toe walking exercises and intrinsic foot exercises. Methods. This study involves 40 flat-footed individuals who were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The foot posture index (FPI-6) is used to analyze the posture of the flat foot and the navicular drop index (NDI) to observe the changes in the navicular drop before and after the exercises. The subjects were divided into two groups, the first group (n = 20) was prescribed toe walking exercises, and the second group (n = 20) was given intrinsic foot muscle exercises. Results. The analysis revealed a statistically significant difference (P-value < 0.0001) in favor of the intrinsic foot muscle exercise group. This indicates that individuals in this group experienced a greater improvement in their flat feet compared to those in the toe walking group. Conclusions. It is suggested that intrinsic foot muscle exercises can be more effective and show greater changes in navicular drop for individuals with flat feet.