Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice ›› 2025, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (6): 729-735.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2025.06.014

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Reliability and validity of foot function index in flatfeet of children and adolescents

FENG Haiyang()   

  1. Rehabilitation Department, Zibo Municipal Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255499, China
  • Received:2024-12-27 Revised:2025-04-07 Published:2025-06-25 Online:2025-06-16
  • Contact: E-mail: hebra232432@163.com E-mail:hebra232432@163.com

Abstract:

Objective To determine the reliability and validity of foot function index (FFI) in children and adolescent with flatfeet.

Methods From January, 2023 to June, 2024, among the patients with flatfeet aged seven to 18 years who were treated at the 3D Printing Reception Center of the Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 41 patients who met the requirements were selected as observation group, while 56 children and adolescents with healthy, normal development and no foot problems were selected as the control group. All participants filled out FFI questionnaire. Cronbach's α was used to determine internal consistency of FFI questionnaire. The structural validity of the questionnaire was observed by confirmatory factor analysis.

Results The mean age of the subjects was (12.99±3.19) years. The Cronbach's α coefficient of FFI was 0.977, and the KMO value was 0.914, showing a good fit of the model. The cumulative variance contribution rates of the principal component for the total population (seven to 18 years old), children group (seven to 13 years old), and adolescents group (14 to 18 years old) were 93.967%, 91.95% and 96.91%, respectively. Principal component analysis obtained three principal factors. The common factor variance of all items was > 0.70, and the factor loading coefficient was > 0.40, indicating a strong correlation between each common factor and the variable.

Conclusion FFI exhibited good internal consistency and construct validity in its application for assessing flatfoot in children and adolescents.

Key words: children, adolescent, flatfeet, foot function index, reliability, validity

CLC Number: