-->PONE-D-25-00559-->-->The Impact of Wide Step Width on Lower Limb Coordination and its Variability in Individuals with flat feet-->-->PLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Mousavi,

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Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

-->Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented. -->

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Partly

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-->2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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-->3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.-->

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: No

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-->4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.-->

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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-->5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)-->

Reviewer #1: The study well well-written and presented because

The study addresses a crucial area in biomechanics and rehabilitation, particularly focusing on individuals with flat feet, which is often under-researched. The paper clearly outlines its objectives and hypotheses, making it easy for readers to understand the purpose and significance of the research. The exploration of wide step width as a factor influencing lower limb coordination presents new insights into gait mechanics that could inform future therapeutic approaches. The inclusion of visual aids, such as graphs and tables, effectively illustrates the data and supports the findings, making the results more accessible to readers.

Some modifications are required:

Abstract:

The methodology part needs more details on measurements

Add the type of study design to the methodology

May you can Add the P-value in the results section of the abstract

The keywords should be according to the MeSh

Introduction:

The study's rationale needs to be explained more, why this study?

Methodology

Check the study be according to the STROBE Checklist

The inclusion and exclusion criteria should be clear

Should be better to have The validity and reliability of the tools

The sample size calculation needs to explain

Add the statistical analysis part (to explain the types of statistics used, The software used, and ….)

Results:

Well describe

Discussion

The first paragraph should mention the objective and main findings,

Explain more the strength and practical implications of the study

Reviewer #2: 1. It is recommended that the research hypothesis be clarified, e.g., “This study hypothesized that wide stride walking guided by visual feedback would reduce rearfoot valgus and improve lower extremity joint coordination in individuals with flat feet.”

2. “This excessive rearfoot eversion is a significant risk factor for running-related injuries, adversely impacting plantar fascia tension and overall foot biomechanics during gait.”, there is a lack of relevant literature to support it. To provide more effective evidence, the authors may consider referring to the following relevant studies: A new method proposed for realizing human gait pattern recognition: Inspirations for the application of sports and clinical gait analysis (DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2023.10.019) to support the application of gait pattern recognition in sports and clinical gait analysis.

3. In describing the effects of flatfoot on gait, the article uses the terms “lead to” or “result in” several times, but does not distinguish between direct effects (e.g., increased plantar fascia tension due to excessive rearfoot pronation) and indirect effects (e.g., changes in plantar fascia tension (e.g., changes in plantar fascial tension may trigger increased stress on the knee).

4. Clarify the source of the effect sizes (e.g., refer to effect sizes from previous similar studies, or based on data from pilot experiments).

5. Foot biomechanical screening criteria do not detail the source of rearfoot eversion ≤ -4°. Is it based on self-report or validated by kinesiology data?

6. The criterion “pronated feet individuals with static navicular drop > 0.9 cm and rearfoot eversion ≤ -4°” requires more detailed measurements.

7. The statistical analysis section does not indicate whether tests of normality were performed to determine whether appropriate statistical tests (e.g., Watson-Williams test and t-test) were used.

8. The study set a fixed running speed of 8 km/h, but did not provide a rationale for applying this speed to all subjects. Different individuals have different running habits and speed may affect gait adjustment. It is recommended that the rationale for the 8 km/h speed be explained.

9. The study calculated Cohen's d as the effect size, but did not specify which group's standard deviation (e.g., pooled SD or baseline SD) the calculation was based on. It is recommended that the calculation of Cohen's d be clarified to ensure the accuracy of the effect size.

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Reviewer #1: Yes:  Hassan Sadeghi

Reviewer #2: No

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The Impact of Wide Step Width on Lower Limb Coordination and its Variability in Individuals with flat feet

PONE-D-25-00559R1

Dear AuthorsWe pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Ateya Megahed Ibrahim El-eglany

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

-->Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.-->

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #2: (No Response)

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-->2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented. -->

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: (No Response)

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-->3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: (No Response)

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-->4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.-->

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: (No Response)

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-->5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.-->

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: (No Response)

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-->6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)-->

Reviewer #1: The paper has significantly improved, as the authors diligently addressed all the comments and suggestions from the reviewers. Their thorough revisions not only enhanced the overall clarity and coherence of the content but also elevated the quality of the research, making it more valuable and impactful within the field.

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed.

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-->7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy .-->

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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