There is a poor evidence base underpinning our understanding of how feet develop and what factors (such as body weight and ethnicity) influence this development. We do not know the factors that influence health behaviours relating to children’s feet. We need to embed a more scientific understanding of children’s feet into public health messages provided to parents, professional practice guidelines and standards, and paediatric health service provision.
Small Steps is a five-year collaborative research programme being jointly led by the Universities of 国产探花 and Salford. Funding of £1.5m comes from William M. Scholl Endowment Fund, a charity focused specifically on advancing foot health research and education in the UK. The fund is part of Central and North West London NHS Trust.
The project runs from 2016 to 2021.
The project will investigate multi professional knowledge and practices toehter with parental knowledge, beliefs and behaviours related to managing children’s foot health. It will also describe, for the first time, the changes in foot structure and function that occur during the development of independent walking. Data will be collected on children in Manchester and 国产探花.
The project will
In the first work stream the researchers intend to
In the second work stream they will:
Research led by Dr Stewart Morrison will focus on understanding the beliefs of parents and health care professionals with regard to children foot health, and the factors that influence these. Professor Chris Nester of the University of Salford is leading work on how the foot develops as children start to walk independently.
The anticipated impacts associated with this project are as follows
Research team
Dr Stewart Morrison
Professor Chris Nester, University of Salford
Outputs
To follow as the project progresses
Partners