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The paediatric flat foot proforma (p-FFP): improved and abridged following a reproducibility study

Angela Margaret Evans , Hollie Nicholson and Noami Zakaris

Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 2009, 2:25doi:10.1186/1757-1146-2-25

Published: 19 August 2009

Abstract (provisional)

Background
Concern about a child's flat foot posture is a common reason for frequent clinical consultations for an array of health care and medical professionals. The recently developed paediatric flatfoot clinical-care pathway (FFP) has provided an evidence based approach to diagnosis and management. The intra and inter-rater/ measurer reliability of the FFP has been investigated in this study.

Methods
From a study population of 140 children aged seven to 10 years, a sample with flat feet was identified by screening with the Foot posture index (FPI-6). Subjects who scored [greater than or equal to] 6 on the FPI-6 for both feet became the study's flat foot sample. A same subject, repeated measure research design was used for this study which examined the reliability of the FFP in 31 children aged seven to 10 years, as rated by three examiners.

Results
Approximately half of the items of the FFP showed less-than-desirable inter-rater reliability, arbitrarily set at the conventional 0.70 level (intra-class correlations). Removal of the unreliable items has produced a shorter; more relevant instrument designated the paediatric flat foot proforma (p-FFP).

Conclusions
The p-FFP is a reliable instrument for the assessment and resulting treatment actions for children with flat feet. Findings indicate that the simplified p-FFP is a reproducible instrument for the clinical assessment of flat foot in mid-childhood.

 

Is anyone using Angela's proforma? I've just downloaded her paper from JAPMA The Flat-Footed Child—To Treat or Not to Treat. What Is the Clinician to Do?

 

We are currently working on including it in our paed assessment form.

 

Hi if you are a supporter (pay by Paypal) there is an article there to look at.
To treat or not to treat has been an ongoing debate for centuries. There are some great discussions previoulsy on Arena. I remember in the back of the brain one that Kevin K put his thoughts forward, interesting reading.
Were you in Q'Land when Angela presented this?
Cylie is this form going to take over from the one that the Paeds group here were working on?
" JFAR great idea "
Cheers

 

Same form Heather. It's on the very long "to do" list of things we are working through.