## 3 Results  
Seventy-four competitive swimmers voluntarily participated in the study: 38 in the junior category (16-18 years, 20 men and 18 women, mean age: 17.0 \(\pm\) 0.8 years) and 36 in the senior category (19-24 years, 19 men and 17 women, mean age: 21.1 \(\pm\) 1.5 years). At the time of examination, the JR swimmers had 8.0 \(\pm\) 2.0 years of experience and averaged 35.3 \(\pm\) 8.4 km per week in their training. The AB swimmers had 12.3 \(\pm\) 3.4 years of experience and averaged 37.3 \(\pm\) 9.8 km per week. The intra-rater reliability analysis, assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for all joint range of motion measurements, as well as the straight leg raise test and the seat and reach test, yielded optimal results. The lowest ICC obtained was 0.912 for ankle dorsiflexion with the knee flexed. Specifically, absolute-category swimmers had a greater number of years of experience (12.3 \(\pm\) 3.4 vs. 8.0 \(\pm\) 2.0, \(p\) \(<\) 0.001), reflecting greater exposure to training load. However, no significant differences were found in weekly swimming distance (37.3 \(\pm\) 9.8 km vs. 35.3 \(\pm\) 8.4 km, \(p\) = 0.436), suggesting that training volume alone is not the only relevant factor in foot and ankle biomechanics. The number of participants who presented muscular pain is shown in Table 2. There was no significant difference between the sexes (\(p\) = 0.587). Significant differences were observed for the right FPI and the left HV (Table 3). As can be seen, in the AB category, we found a greater number of feet with a neutral category FPI, while the JR category has the highest stage A for HV. Regarding the arch height, we observed no differences between the two categories, with the JR category having the highest number of neutral feet, although both groups have a higher percentage of cavus feet among their swimmers. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c c} \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Competition Category**} \\ \cline{2-7}  & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Junior**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Absolute**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Chi-Square Tests**} & \\ \cline{2-7}  & **N** = 38 (51.4\%)** & & **N** = 36 (48.6\%)** & & **Chi-Square Tests** & \\ \cline{2-7}  & **N** & **\%** & **N** & **\%** & **\(p\)1** ** & **Value** & **df** \\ \hline Sex & & & & & & \\ Man & 20 & 52.6 & 19 & 52.8 & 0.587 & 0.000159 & 1 \\ Woman & 18 & 47.4 & 17 & 47.2 & & & \\ \hline Right Triceps Surae & 18 & 47.4 & 24 & 66.7 & 0.075 & 2.805 & 1 \\ \hline Left Triceps Surae & 21 & 55.3 & 27 & 75.0 & 0.062 & 3.160 & 1 \\ \hline Right Plantar Muscles & 17 & 44.7 & 23 & 63.9 & 0.078 & 2.730 & 1 \\ \hline Left Plantar Muscles & 18 & 47.4 & 21 & 58.3 & 0.239 & 0.892 & 1 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Frequency (n and %) of muscular pain in triceps surae and plantar regions in both age groups, juniors, and adults. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c} \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Junior**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Absolute**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{\(p\)} \\ \cline{2-5}  & **N** = 38 (51.4\%)** & & **N** = 36 (48.6\%)** & & \\ \cline{2-5} Right FPI & & & & & \\ Neutral & 15 & 39.5 & 24 & 66.7 & \\ Pronated & 10 & 26.3 & 8 & 22.2 & 0.030 \\ Supinated & 13 & 34.2 & 4 & 11.1 & \\ \hline Left FPI & & & & & \\ Neutral & 15 & 39.5 & 23 & 63.9 & \\ Pronated & 14 & 36.8 & 8 & 22.2 & 0.110 \\ Supinated & 9 & 23.7 & 5 & 13.9 & \\ \hline HV Right feet & & & & & \\ A & 32 & 97.0 & 27 & 84.4 & \\ B & 1 & 3.0 & 4 & 12.5 & \\ C & 0 & 0 & 1 & 3.1 & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Frequency (N and %) of neutral, pronated, and supinated feet; absent (A), mild (B), moderate (C), or severe (D) hallux valgus; and normal-arched, high-arched and low-arched feet. The ranges of ankle dorsal flexion, rearfoot inversion, and aversion, first MPJ dorsal flexion, and first ray plantarflexion and dorsiflexion are shown in Table 4, as well as the results of the comparisons made between the two categories. As can be seen, dorsal flexion of the ankle with the knee extended was limited in both age groups.