2017, Volume 13

Feet structure in young capoeira athletes versus untrained peers

Ewa Puszczałowska-Lizis¹, Przemysław Bujas², Jarosław Omorczyk², Tadeusz Ambroży², Andrzej Markowski<sup>3

1</sup>Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiotherapy, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow, Poland
²Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Institute of Sport, University of Physical Education in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
³Faculty of Motor Rehabilitation, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Physical Education in Krakow, Krakow, Poland


Author for correspondence: Ewa Puszczałowska-Lizis; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiotherapy, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow, Poland; email: ewalizis[at]poczta.onet.pl

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Abstract

Background and Study Aim. In the literature a lot of space is devoted to research on the effects of practicing martial arts on the functional performance and muscle strength. In contrast, few scientific papers quite generally address the problem of the impact of this forms of activity on the formation of the foot, especially in children and adolescents at the developmental age. The present study aimed is selected features of the construction of the foot in capoeira athletes and peers who did not undertake regular physical activity.

Material and Methods. The study group comprised 74 boys aged 8-10 years, including 38 capoeira athletes attending "UNICAR" Capoeira Academy in Rzeszow and 36 health peers who did not train in any sports and did not regularly participate in any physical exercises apart from attending obligatory physical education classes at school. The CQ-ST podoscope was applied as the main research tool. In order to evaluate differences in average level of tested variables, between capoeira athletes group and controls we used Mann-Whitney U test.

Results. Average value of Clarke’s angle at capoeira athletes oscillated around the lower limit of the norm and in case of the left foot were significantly lower compared to the untrained controls. Average value of Wejsflog index (W) in both feet of the martial arts athletes achieved significantly lower values compared to the controls.    

Conclusions. Young capoeira athletes in comparison to their peers who did not undertake regular physical activity showed lower longitudinal arch of the left foot and lower transverse arch in both feet. In the training process, especially at its initial stages, special attention must be paid to the skilfully dose exercises and elements of combat with excessive overloading of the forefoot, and take into account the impact of exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of foot arch.

Key words: foot, jogo, martial arts, spinning kicks