Introduction: The foot is a complex anatomical structure that plays a key role in bipedal walking and maintaining an upright posture. Due to the effects of aging, illness, and improper footwear, structural changes such as deformities, pain, and loss of balance eventually occur. In older people, dry, thickened skin and deformities such as pes planus, hallux valgus, and hammer toes often occur. These changes are also clearly visible in the footprint. Orthotics play an important role in prevention and treatment, especially by making suitable insoles and footwear. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether it is possible to determine the age group of an individual based on footprints and the main changes in footprints in older people. Methods: In the study, we compared the footprints of two groups of women of different ages. In group 1, the women were between 18 and 25 years old (N = 10), and in group 2, they were over 50 years old (N = 10). We took the imprints of both feet using a dedicated mat and ink in a domestic environment and analyzed them based on three measurements: the Clark´s angle, the Staheli index, and the Chippaux-Smirak index. A group of evaluators, consisting of three experts and three non-experts, determined the age group and justified their decisions. Results: We classified the feet as normal, arched, or flat using three indexes. For the younger group, the measurments showed more consistent results, while there were greater differences between individual measurements among the older group. Six evaluators determined the age group of the test subjects with moderate accuracy based on the prints, as they correctly identified 75 % of the test subjects from group 2 and 70 % of the test subjects from group 1. Statistical analysis showed a high correlation between the Staheli and Chippaux-Smirak index, and a strong negative correlation between those two and the Clark´s angle, confirming different but complementary approaches to measuring the foot arch. The results confirm the reliability of the methods used and the differences in foot characteristics between younger and older women. Discussion and conclusion: The study showed that the medial longitudinal arch of the foot often changes with age; in the older group, there was a higher incidence of flat feet, while the feet of the younger group were more often arched. Deformities such as hallux valgus and hammertoes, which are characteristic of the older population and affect the distribution of pressure while walking, were also frequent. The findings confirm that certain changes in the footprint can indicate a person's age, but additional diagnostic methods are recommended for a more accurate assessment. Due to the impact on balance, movement, and the quality of life of the elderly, early recognition of deformities is very important.
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