Does plantar pressure distribution influence static balance performance in elite soccer players? A retrospective observational study

Abstract Purpose The foot plays a key role in balance control, acting as the primary interface between the body and the ground. Thus, the way loads exchanged between body and ground are likely to affect postural stability through modulation of the sensory feedback from the plantar surface. Surprisingly, this relationship has been scarcely examined, and most existing studies involve the general population, while data regarding elite athletes—who undergo extensive neuromuscular training—are limited. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether plantar pressure distribution characteristics and footprint-derived indicators of foot morphology are associated with static balance performance in elite soccer players. Methods Using a pressure platform, data on plantar pressure and center of pressure (COP)-derived sway parameters were simultaneously collected under unipedal and bipedal quiet upright stance in a cohort of 110 soccer players competing in national-level tournaments. Foot morphology was classified according to the Arch Index (AI). Associations between plantar pressure variables and sway parameters were assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficients with false discovery rate (FDR) correction for multiple comparisons. Results Foot morphology classification according to the AI did not reveal significant effects on postural sway parameters under either stance condition. However, players classified as planus tended to exhibit greater sway values during bipedal stance than cavus and normal arch groups. Correlation analyses showed only weak associations between plantar pressure variables and postural sway parameters under both bipedal and unipedal conditions (|r|≤ 0.30), and none remained statistically significant after FDR correction. Conclusion Plantar pressure distribution characteristics and footprint-derived indicators of foot morphology showed only weak and non-robust relationships with static postural sway in elite soccer players. Although a tendency toward greater sway was observed in players classified as planus during bipedal stance, no significant effects of foot morphology were detected, and these observations were not supported by the correlation analyses. Overall, the findings suggest that plantar loading patterns account for only a limited proportion of the variability in static balance performance in this population.