Understanding Flat Feet in Children

Watching your child take her first steps is simply beautiful, and a proud moment as a parent. When children first start out walking, there is little to no arch in their feet and they walk on their toes.

As they start to grow and walk more, there are two things that happen:

• the arch of the foot starts to form a bridge; and
• the cushioning fat pad recedes to the heel bone.

However, if this development is not occurring with your child, then they should have a check-up of their walking stride for treatment at an early age.

What Is Paediatric Flatfoot?

Paediatric flatfoot is a deformity which occurs in children that indicates the lack of an arch in the foot. Paediatric flatfoot can be with or without symptoms (symptomatic or asymptomatic), so your child may or may not experience pain in their feet.

If your child has symptomatic flat feet, then she can have pain in her feet and legs.The walking patterns of your child can also get affected as symptomatic flatfoot is often associated with heel deformity, which can make it difficult for them to wear shoes. In addition, your child may feel tired all the time because of the energy used while walking with flat feet.

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Impact on the Body

Paediatric flat feet can have an impact on the body. In some children, this condition may change the way they walk as there is more stress on not just the feet, but the whole lower body. This may be a reason why children with flat feet wish to be carried despite being able to walk.

The stress on the lower body is due to the excessive inward twisting of the shin bone, thigh bone, and the hips, which can be caused by the flatfoot posture. This may lead to unwanted movements in the lower body, which is a risk factor for flat feet. Hence, a child with flat feet may experience lower body pain and feel fatigued while taking short walks.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Proper assessments of the muscles and bones in the feet and the lower body are required to identify any structural problems that may cause or contribute to the foot posture problem. The physician will evaluate the feet in standing and seated positions to determine the impact of weight on the foot posture.

A thorough examination of your child’s walking patterns is very important. This should be followed by physical examinations to check the severity of the condition, the areas of tenderness, and muscle strength and flexibility, and range of motion.

In some cases, the flat feet can be due to hereditary factors, which is why the family history and medical conditions should be taken into consideration. Treatment of flat feet in children should only be made after evaluating all these factors.

Using Foot Insoles

Foot insoles can typically be part of treatment programmes for children aged 10 years and above. They may provide the preventative care needed to ensure that posture problems don’t develop as your child grows into an adult.

MASS4D® foot insoles aim to offer complete foot posture support to ensure proper development as your child ages. MASS4D® can help limit unwanted foot movements and promotes alignment to improve from the feet up to the ankles, knees, hips, and the back.

This corrective support can be helpful in improving posture and balance that can allow proper growth and development. As the walking patterns of your child improve, she will feel more energetic and will be looking to play and have fun.

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Foot Pain Relief, Injury Prevention, Better Posture and Sports Performance in One Insole     buy now

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