INTRODUCTION:
Obesity is a multifactor chronic degenerative disease that can lead to changes in the musculoskeletal system, such as changing the center of gravity and mechanical loads on the lower limbs.
OBJECTIVES:
To correlate the body mass index (BMI) with the body balance and verify the association between BMI and foot conformation.
METHODS:
Thirty obese men and women were evaluated, with BMI greater or equal 30 kg/m². Initially, the volunteers underwent assessments of anthropometric measurements to calculate BMI value. Then the individuals were tested for static body balance by Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) and plantigraphy for identification of footprints. Through the Viladot method, the volunteers were classified into groups: flat foot (GPP/FFG), cavus foot (GPC/CFG) and neutral foot (NFG). The correlation between the variables BESS and BMI was calculated using the Pearson's linear coefficient analysis and association between BMI, and the plantar conformation was performed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). For all analyzes, the level of significance was p<0.05.
RESULTS:
The values of the correlation between BMI and BESS were r=-0.1, p=0.59. The values of the association between BMI; GPN/NFG-GPP/FFG; GPN/NFG-GPC/CFG; GPP/FFG-GPC/CFG were respectively: p=0.76, p=0.001, p= 0.07.
CONCLUSION:
The body mass index of obese adults does not influence the body balance, but influences the plantar conformation.
postural balance; obesity; foot
