Flatfoot, FlexibleNCT07884162
Plyometric vs. Intrinsic Foot Muscle Training in Pediatric Flatfoot
A study testing Plyometric Training in people with Flatfoot, Flexible, run by Faculty of Medicine, Sousse at 1 site in Tunisia.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate how the order of exercises in a training program affects foot mechanics and physical performance in children with flexible flatfoot. Flexible flatfoot is common in children and can affect how weight is distributed on the foot, balance, and athletic abilities. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 9 to 12 years, men only
- Conditions the study is for
- Flatfoot, Flexible
- What is being tested?
- Plyometric Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 36 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTunisia
- Study dates
- 15 Nov 2025to 15 May 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 9 to 12 years
- Men only
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Participants were required to be actively practising youth football players aged between 9 and 12 years with a clinically and podographically confirmed diagnosis of bilateral flexible flatfoot according to the study's predefined diagnostic criteria.
Who cannot join
- Participants were excluded if they presented any history of lower limb orthopaedic surgery, a musculoskeletal injury within the preceding six months, or a diagnosed neurological disorder.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Tunisia1 site
Research Laboratory (LR19ES09), Exercise Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse
Sousse, 4002
About this study
Official title: Plyometric-First Versus Intrinsic Foot Muscle-First Training in Children With Flexible Flatfoot: Effects on Plantar Loading and Athletic Performance
The purpose of this study is to investigate how the order of exercises in a training program affects foot mechanics and physical performance in children with flexible flatfoot. Flexible flatfoot is common in children and can affect how weight is distributed on the foot, balance, and athletic abilities. While both foot-strengthening exercises and jump training (plyometrics) are helpful, it is not known which one should be done first to get the best results.
In this study, thirty-six young male football players with flexible flatfoot were divided into three groups. The first group performed jump training followed by foot muscle strengthening. The second group did the foot muscle strengthening first, followed by jump training. The third group served as a control group and did not change their usual training. The researchers measured changes in foot pressure, balance, jumping height, muscle force, and sprint speed before and after the training to find out which exercise order is most effective for improving athletic performance and foot loading.
Read the detailed description
This study evaluates the impact of exercise sequencing within a combined training program for young athletes with flexible flatfoot. Participants are block-randomized into three distinct parallel arms to compare different training structures over the intervention period:
- Group P1-R2: Participants undergo plyometric training in the first phase, followed by intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) strengthening in the second phase.
- Group R1-P2: Participants undergo intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) strengthening in the first phase, followed by plyometric training in the second phase.
- Control Group (CG): Participants maintain their habitual football training schedule without any additional specific foot or plyometric interventions.
All participants undergo a comprehensive testing battery at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately following the completion of the training protocol (post-intervention). The assessments include static and dynamic baropodometric analyses to measure peak plantar pressure, postural tracking to evaluate balance, countermovement jump (CMJ) tests for neuromuscular mechanics, eccentric rate of force development (RFD) evaluations, and 20-meter timed sprints to quantify locomotor performance.
- Conditions
- Flatfoot, Flexible
- Being tested
- Plyometric Training
- Keywords
- Intrinsic foot muscles; Plyometric training; Postural stability; Exercise sequencing; Paediatric biomechanics
- Medical subject headings
- Flatfoot
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Plyometric TrainingBehavioural
Jump and plyometric exercises performed 3 times per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. This intervention is implemented during Phase 1 for Group P1-R2 and during Phase 2 for Group R1-P2.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Group P1-R2 | Experimental | Pediatric football players with flexible flatfoot who undergo a combined training program consisting of 4 weeks of plyometric training (Phase 1) followed by 4 weeks of intrinsic foot muscle strengthening (Phase 2), performed 3 times per week for a total of 8 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Plyometric Training |
| Group R1-P2 | Experimental | A separate group of pediatric football players with flexible flatfoot who undergo the inverse sequence: 4 weeks of intrinsic foot muscle strengthening (Phase 1) followed by 4 weeks of plyometric training (Phase 2), performed 3 times per week for a total of 8 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Plyometric Training |
| Control Group | No intervention | A third separate group of pediatric football players with flexible flatfoot who maintain their habitual football training schedule without participating in any specific plyometric or foot muscle strengthening protocols during the 8-week study period. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Peak Plantar Pressure
Static and dynamic peak plantar pressure assessed using baropodometric analysis to evaluate changes in plantar loading.
Measured: Baseline (before the intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks of training).
Secondary outcomes (1)
Postural Balance Tracking
Postural stability tracking parameters evaluated under static and dynamic conditions.
Measured: Baseline (before the intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks of training).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Oct 2026
- Study start15 Nov 2025
- Primary completion26 Jan 2026
- Study completion15 May 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Flatfoot, FlexibleStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- This study utilizes a three-arm parallel group design to investigate the effects of exercise sequencing within a combined training program. Although the experimental groups are named after the order of their training components (plyometric-first vs. intrinsic foot muscle-first), participants remain within their randomly assigned group for the entire 8-week duration. The total intervention is structurally divided into two consecutive 4-week phases for both experimental arms, while the control group concurrently maintains habitual training, ensuring a direct parallel comparison of the two distinct sequences against a control baseline.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Faculty of Medicine, Sousse
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Mounir Landolsi, Faculty of Medicine, Sousse
- Investigators
- Mounir Landolsi, PhD, Principal investigator, Faculty of Medecice of Sousse, University of Sousse
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07884162
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CEFMSo_0160_2025
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 13 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 20 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared outside of the research team to maintain participant confidentiality, as explicit consent for public data repository sharing was not obtained from the legal guardians at the time of enrollment.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Plyometric-First Versus Intrinsic Foot Muscle-First Training in Children With Flexible Flatfoot: Effects on Plantar Loading and Athletic Performance
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07884162
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CEFMSo_0160_2025
- Conditions
- Flatfoot, Flexible
- Keywords
- Intrinsic foot muscles; Plyometric training; Postural stability; Exercise sequencing; Paediatric biomechanics
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Faculty of Medicine, SousseUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 26 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 May 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 20 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to investigate how the order of exercises in a training program affects foot mechanics and physical performance in children with flexible flatfoot. Flexible flatfoot is common in children and can affect how weight is distributed on the foot, balance, and athletic abilities. While both foot-strengthening exercises and jump training (plyometrics) are helpful, it is not known which one should be done first to get the best results.
In this study, thirty-six young male football players with flexible flatfoot were divided into three groups. The first group performed jump training followed by foot muscle strengthening. The second group did the foot muscle strengthening first, followed by jump training. The third group served as a control group and did not change their usual training. The researchers measured changes in foot pressure, balance, jumping height, muscle force, and sprint speed before and after the training to find out which exercise order is most effective for improving athletic performance and foot loading.
Detailed description
This study evaluates the impact of exercise sequencing within a combined training program for young athletes with flexible flatfoot. Participants are block-randomized into three distinct parallel arms to compare different training structures over the intervention period:
- Group P1-R2: Participants undergo plyometric training in the first phase, followed by intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) strengthening in the second phase.
- Group R1-P2: Participants undergo intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) strengthening in the first phase, followed by plyometric training in the second phase.
- Control Group (CG): Participants maintain their habitual football training schedule without any additional specific foot or plyometric interventions.
All participants undergo a comprehensive testing battery at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately following the completion of the training protocol (post-intervention). The assessments include static and dynamic baropodometric analyses to measure peak plantar pressure, postural tracking to evaluate balance, countermovement jump (CMJ) tests for neuromuscular mechanics, eccentric rate of force development (RFD) evaluations, and 20-meter timed sprints to quantify locomotor performance.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- This study utilizes a three-arm parallel group design to investigate the effects of exercise sequencing within a combined training program. Although the experimental groups are named after the order of their training components (plyometric-first vs. intrinsic foot muscle-first), participants remain within their randomly assigned group for the entire 8-week duration. The total intervention is structurally divided into two consecutive 4-week phases for both experimental arms, while the control group concurrently maintains habitual training, ensuring a direct parallel comparison of the two distinct sequences against a control baseline.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Group P1-R2 | Experimental | Behavioral: Plyometric TrainingPediatric football players with flexible flatfoot who undergo a combined training program consisting of 4 weeks of plyometric training (Phase 1) followed by 4 weeks of intrinsic foot muscle strengthening (Phase 2), performed 3 times per week for a total of 8 weeks. |
| Group R1-P2 | Experimental | Behavioral: Plyometric TrainingA separate group of pediatric football players with flexible flatfoot who undergo the inverse sequence: 4 weeks of intrinsic foot muscle strengthening (Phase 1) followed by 4 weeks of plyometric training (Phase 2), performed 3 times per week for a total of 8 weeks. |
| Control Group | No intervention | –A third separate group of pediatric football players with flexible flatfoot who maintain their habitual football training schedule without participating in any specific plyometric or foot muscle strengthening protocols during the 8-week study period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 9 to 12 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants were required to be actively practising youth football players aged between 9 and 12 years with a clinically and podographically confirmed diagnosis of bilateral flexible flatfoot according to the study's predefined diagnostic criteria.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants were excluded if they presented any history of lower limb orthopaedic surgery, a musculoskeletal injury within the preceding six months, or a diagnosed neurological disorder.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Plyometric TrainingJump and plyometric exercises performed 3 times per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. This intervention is implemented during Phase 1 for Group P1-R2 and during Phase 2 for Group R1-P2. | Behavioural | Group P1-R2, Group R1-P2 |
Primary outcome
Peak Plantar Pressure
Time frame: Baseline (before the intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks of training).
Static and dynamic peak plantar pressure assessed using baropodometric analysis to evaluate changes in plantar loading.
1 secondary outcome
Postural Balance Tracking
Time frame: Baseline (before the intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks of training).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared outside of the research team to maintain participant confidentiality, as explicit consent for public data repository sharing was not obtained from the legal guardians at the time of enrollment.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Mounir Landolsi, PhD principal investigator
Faculty of Medecice of Sousse, University of Sousse
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Plyometric Training in people with Flatfoot, Flexible, run by Faculty of Medicine, Sousse at 1 site in Tunisia.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Tunisia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Peak Plantar Pressure (time frame: Baseline (before the intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks of training).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Oct 2026.