| Are you concerned when you look at your child's | | | | - rigid (arch is always stiff and flat); less common and |
| foot and it seems excessively flat? Do you or your | | | | usually due to abnormal bone structure or bone |
| spouse have painful feet? The pain of flat feet can | | | | growth during development. |
| be avoided. | | | | How is flat foot diagnosed? |
| Unfortunately due to misinformation handed down | | | | In pediatric flat foot, the podiatric foot and ankle |
| through the generation of doctors, many pediatricians | | | | surgeon will do a complete biomechanical exam to |
| tell everyone that they will "grow out" of flat feet. | | | | see how the foot, knees and hips function. X-rays |
| This is a terrible misjustice to the millions of children | | | | are taken to evaluate the growth plates and bone |
| who have symptomatic, structural flat feet that they | | | | growth. Often, an MRI or CT scan are needed to |
| will not "grow out of" and often leads to many years | | | | fully evaluate this complex deformity. |
| of pain and disability when treatment can significantly | | | | How is flat foot treated? |
| decrease their suffering. | | | | In asymptomatic flat foot, no treatment is needed |
| Flat foot is common in children and actually stands for | | | | except sturdy appropriate shoe gear to relieve |
| several types of inherited foot types. Although these | | | | stress. Secondary symptoms of "Charlie horses" or |
| foot types differ in many of their characteristics, | | | | leg cramps, tired feet, and knee and hip pain should |
| they all share a common flattening or collapsing of | | | | be discussed with parents. |
| the arch. Many children with flat foot have no | | | | In painful flat feet, treatment is required. No child |
| symptoms, but some can have serious aches and | | | | should be in pain from their feet. Activity |
| pains. | | | | modification, shoe gear, stretching exercises, |
| Symptoms of pediatric flat foot include: | | | | anti-inflammatories and arch supports are the |
| - pain and tenderness in the foot, leg and knees | | | | mainstay of therapy. Mant times, significant flat feet |
| - outward tilting of the heel | | | | require custom functional orthotics and physical |
| - difficulty running and walking or just "funny looking" | | | | therapy for more aggressive symptomatic relief. |
| running | | | | Obesity increase pain in flat feet. Weight loss is |
| - excessive shoe wear and difficulty fitting shoes | | | | always recommended prior to surgery due to the |
| - constant complaining when running or participating in | | | | high incidence of painful flat feet in the obese child. |
| sports | | | | Surgery should only be an option for pediatric flat |
| What are the different kinds of flat foot? | | | | foot if the child is having severe difficulty walking or |
| - symptomatic or asymptomatic | | | | running, has undergone at least 6 months of |
| - flexible (meaning they look like they have an arch | | | | aggressive therapy and has a significant deformity. |
| when non-weightbearing but it fully collapses on | | | | Contact your podiatric foot and ankle surgeon for a |
| weight bearing); this is the most common and | | | | biomechanical exam if your child is experiencing |
| associated with many overuse injuries in child | | | | fatigue, cramping or pain associated with flat feet. |
| athletes. | | | | |