Can a tiny foot implant reshape how children walk?
NCT ID NCT07803341
First seen Sep 03, 2026 · Last updated Sep 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study follows children and teens with flexible flatfoot who are having a subtalar arthroereisis, a minimally invasive surgery that places a small titanium implant in the foot to limit excessive rolling inward. Researchers will measure foot pressure distribution, walking patterns, and foot alignment before surgery and six months after. The goal is to see how the procedure changes the way the foot contacts the ground and how the child walks. No treatment is assigned for research; all care follows routine clinical practice.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Subtalar arthroereisis, a minimally invasive procedure that places a small titanium implant in the foot to limit excessive rolling inward while preserving joint movement.
- What this could lead to
- If the procedure improves foot pressure and walking patterns, it could support its use as a treatment for painful or activity-limiting flatfoot in children.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small observational study, so it cannot prove cause and effect. The implant may not help all children, and surgery carries usual risks like infection or implant discomfort.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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25 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Pediatric patients aged 10 to 18 years with symptomatic flexible flatfoot referred to the participating orthopedic unit and scheduled for elective subtalar arthroereisis after failure of appropriate conservative management or because of persistent symptoms, progressive deformity, or substantial functional impairment.
- Ages
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10 to 18 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Scheduled for elective subtalar arthroereisis, with or without adjunctive surgical procedures. * Aged 10 to 18 years at the time of enrollment. * Male or female. Exclusion Criteria: * Concomitant orthopedic or neurological conditions affecting walking ability. * Neurological or vestibular disorders affecting balance. * Contraindications to the medical devices used in the study. * Inability to understand and sign the informed consent form.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Istituto di Cura Città di Pavia
Pavia, Pavia, 27100, Italy