Flattening of the feet in children and adults develops for a reason. Doctors say that the main reason for the development of flat feet is prolonged and excessively heavy loads on the legs, which are combined with congenital weakness of the muscles and ligaments of the foot or insufficient training of the lower girdle of the limbs. Often people give themselves a “gift” in the form of foot diseases by constantly wearing uncomfortable shoes - narrow and without heels or, conversely, with too high heels.
The development of flat feet occurs gradually and non-stop: if the disease is not stopped in time using therapeutic exercises, foot massage and other methods of treating flat feet, it will progress. It should be remembered: such a seemingly harmless disease as flat feet can “bring” the wearer to disability.
So, why and how does flatfoot develop?
This disease develops differently in children and adults. If in childhood the foot is not yet formed, which means that the development of flat feet has a higher probability, then in adulthood one should “make an effort” to flatten the foot. On the other hand, while it is still possible to correct flat feet in a child, in almost all cases the development of the disease in an adult can only be stopped. Therefore, everyone should take care of their musculoskeletal system.
One of the side causes of flat feet is calcium deficiency in the body. The development of the disease occurs due to insufficient strength of the arch of the foot and excessive loads on it. Flat feet in adults can develop due to rapid weight gain (pregnancy, obesity), intense stress on the legs due to poor diet and vitamin deficiency, and improper footwear.
To prevent the development of flat feet, you should devote 10-15 minutes a day to therapeutic foot exercises: walking on your toes, on your heels, on the outside of your feet, rolling small objects with your feet, etc. You should be especially careful about such prevention if you are in a group risk of flat feet:
Is flat feet a serious disease, or nonsense that you shouldn’t pay attention to? Young mothers have been asking this question for many years. “Is it worth treating, or will it go away on its own? Maybe let him stay - they won’t take the boy into the army?” - whatever you hear in conversations about flat feet. Let's try to look at the problem from a medical point of view.
Flat feet is a change in the shape of the foot that results in a lower arch.
It is important to remember that children under two years of age have fairly flat feet, but this is not a pathology. As the child grows, the foot gradually begins to take on the correct shape. Therefore, we can talk about flat feet no earlier than the child reaches the age of five years. By this point, the foot should already have the appearance of an “arch”.
Thus, a child can be diagnosed with “flat feet” only before entering school, but foot development should be monitored from infancy and regularly visited by an orthopedic doctor.
Why does flat feet occur?
In fact, there are many reasons for the development of flat feet, here are the main ones:
• static flat feet, which occurs with rapid weight gain;
• traumatic flatfoot after fractures of the bones of the foot;
• deficiency of vitamins and microelements;
• congenital pathology of connective tissue;
• paralysis of the foot muscles;
• incorrectly selected, uncomfortable, unsuitable shoes.
Alarm bells for parents
It is recommended to suspect that your child has flat feet and immediately go for a consultation with an experienced orthopedic doctor if:
• the child gets tired very quickly during a walk and begins to ask to be held;
• the baby quickly wears out new shoes (the sole wears down inward).
The orthopedist conducts an examination and additional examination, makes a diagnosis and draws up a comprehensive treatment plan.
First of all, moms and dads need to be patient, since this disease requires long-term and multifaceted exposure. If it was possible to identify flat feet at the initial stage, then the use of special mats and bolsters is effective. Massage with these items normalizes the muscle tone of the feet.
Warm baths with sea salt and a light foot massage before bedtime help relieve fatigue, pain and tension, and daily exercises help strengthen muscles.
It is on gymnastics and professional massage courses that orthopedic doctors, as a rule, pin their greatest hopes. And, of course, wearing special orthopedic shoes is an important component of the treatment of flat feet.
Effective exercises for the prevention and treatment of flat feet
Rolling pin and handkerchief
Place your baby in a high chair so that his feet are on the floor. Place a rolling pin in front of him and ask him to roll it with his legs in different directions.
Place a handkerchief in front of the child and ask him to grab it with the toes of his left foot and lift it up. It is recommended to repeat 10 times for each leg.
Place your child in a chair with his feet flat on the floor. Ask him to run the big toe of his left leg along his right shin from bottom to top, and then repeat this, changing legs. A five-time repetition is recommended for each leg.
Place your baby on a chair and ask him to put his feet on the floor. Without lifting his heels from the floor, he should lift his toes towards himself. After several repetitions, you need to slightly complicate the task by asking you to lift only your big toes.
Ask your child to squat ten times without lifting his heels off the floor.
Ask your child to sit on a chair and place one foot on the floor and the other on the ball. Ask him to roll the ball with his feet in different directions for 1-2 minutes. Then change the leg and repeat the exercise. Ask a child sitting on a chair to lift the ball with both legs, trying to keep it suspended for at least a few seconds.
Walking on tiptoes
This exercise is very simple, but at the same time quite effective - walking in place on your fingertips. You can walk around the room from one end to the other. You can alternate walking on your toes with marching on your heels.
How to choose the right shoes
The most important point in the prevention or comprehensive treatment of flat feet is the choice of the right shoes. Of course, for a diagnosed child, the doctor will select special orthopedic insoles, which will need to be inserted into both street and indoor shoes. Or, in severe cases, he will give a referral for the production of special therapeutic shoes in an orthopedic salon.
With mild flat feet and in order to prevent it, it is important to be able to choose the right shoes. When going to the store to buy shoes for your baby, consider a number of rules, and then choosing the right model will not be difficult:
1. The boot should fit the baby’s foot tightly; options with lacing and fasteners are good for this. However, you should be very careful to ensure that the baby’s leg is not squeezed.
2. Choose a model that is soft on the inside, made from natural materials, so that it does not rub the child’s delicate feet.
3. It’s good when the shoes have small holes so that the baby’s skin can breathe.
4. The back of the shoe should be high and rigid, this helps to fix the ankle.
5. The shoes of a child under 2 years old should be simple, without arch support. It is important that there is a small wide heel.
6. The sole of the shoe should be hard and non-slip.
I pay a lot of attention to hardening and preventive techniques. I write books and articles about children's health. Author of “Modern Collection of Medicines”, “First Medical Aid for Children” and other books on medical and pharmaceutical topics. I collaborate with medical journals and publishing houses.
Flat feet are a disease of civilization. The appearance of shoes, low mobility, overeating - all this contributes to foot diseases. Not everyone today can remember their barefoot childhood. But walking barefoot is one of the most powerful ways to prevent flat feet. Especially walking on pebbles. The stones provide a natural foot massage and keep the muscles toned. Bare feet are exposed to other natural factors - air and water temperature, natural humidity levels, warm or cold wind.
But if a modern person has few opportunities to walk barefoot and receive a natural massage, then he can use the help of a professional massage therapist or carry out the procedures on his own. It is important to understand why and how.
How can massage help with flat feet? To do this, you need to understand the mechanism of the disease . Normally, the foot forms an arch, similar to an architectural arch. And it serves the same purpose - to distribute the load from the weight of the human body. The arches of our soles absorb the variable impact loads on the lower limbs when walking, and especially when running and jumping. The muscles of the feet and ankle joints are responsible for the condition of the arches.
And if these muscles get the opportunity to “be lazy,” the arch of the foot begins to descend and become flat. The sole no longer touches the ground with the support points of the arched span, but rests heavily on it with its entire plane. Each step is an unmitigated blow, reverberating not only in the legs, but also in the spine. Every day a person is getting closer to a wheelchair.
What to do if your gait becomes heavy and the first signs of flat feet appear? Along with general recommendations for putting things in order in your lifestyle, it is also necessary to use special procedures, one of which is massage. How does massage help with flat feet?
You must understand that one or two massage sessions will not solve a problem that has been accumulating for years. Long-term and persistent treatment is needed. It should be remembered that there are no magic or any pills for flat feet. Therefore, the simplest methods remain - massage, physical therapy, diet, avoidance of heels. What else? Oh yes, the surgeon's knife. But it’s better not to let it get to that point, if only because there is no guarantee that the ability to walk will be restored.
The main muscles responsible for weakening the arch of the foot are the plantar aponeurosis , posterior tibial and Achilles tendons. Accordingly, the massage, at a minimum, should affect the foot and lower leg. But it is optimal if the procedure covers the entire lower limbs, as well as the lumbosacral region. The fact is that the lumbar spine is connected to the lower extremities by nerve pathways.
There are two main massage techniques:
Of course, the procedure will be more useful if it is performed by a professional. However, this is not always possible. In this case, you can perform the massage yourself according to the following scheme:
Doctors distinguish several forms of flatfoot: transverse, longitudinal, combined . But these forms themselves are important for a specialist. It is more important for parents to know the signs that can help identify pathological changes in the early stages and prevent their further development.
It must be said that in the initial stages, a change in the shape of the foot is either completely absent or so insignificant that it is impossible for a non-specialist to detect it. However, the symptoms of flat feet—pain in the legs after walking for a long time, for a child—are already present. Of course, this may be a consequence of ordinary fatigue, but it is better to play it safe and take measures that will prevent the progressive development of the pathology. Another important sign that should not be missed is a heavy, awkward gait. This is a very warning sign.
You can recognize the onset of flat feet by the wear of your shoes. Normally, the outer part of the sole and heel wears out more. If the disease develops, wear is either uniform or shifted to the inner part of the sole.
Long before the onset of the disease, the color of the child’s feet can also indicate trouble. After all, the normal development of the muscles supporting the arch is closely related to their blood supply. If the leg is not pink, but pale, this may indicate problems with blood circulation . Cold extremities report the same. However, the opposite - crimson tones in the color of the foot, also does not mean anything good. This color is characteristic of venous stagnation. In both cases, muscle tissue does not receive sufficient supply of oxygen and other necessary substances and cannot develop normally.
At the second stage, the flattening of the foot is already noticeable and there is no doubt about its nature. Pain is felt when walking, running and jumping are practically excluded. The pain can spread not only to the foot, but also to the entire ankle joint. One of the signs of this stage is a “bear gait”. And the saddest thing is that without a constant set of countermeasures, the condition will only get worse.
At the first warning signs, you should consult a doctor. By the way, a qualified orthopedist can recognize incipient flat feet from the age of one. As already mentioned, there is no drug therapy for flat feet. But there is a fairly large selection of physiotherapeutic methods.
Shock wave therapy (SWT) has become quite popular in recent years , which is said to give good results in many cases. However, many patients who have undergone this procedure claim that it is very painful. In this regard, the choice of shockwave therapy as a treatment method should be very balanced.
“Classical” physiotherapy procedures, such as electrophoresis or paraffin baths, are much easier to tolerate. There are good reviews about such a relatively new method as electromyostimulation. Its essence is that weak electrical impulses of a certain frequency, acting on muscle tissue, cause them to either contract or relax. This way the muscles are trained. Of course, if there are other reasons that prevent their normal development, for example, problems with blood circulation , therapy is necessary, including medication, aimed at eliminating these reasons.
One of the most effective treatments for flat feet in children. Increased physical activity is characteristic of childhood, and physical therapy classes can be turned into an exciting game. For example, picking up objects from the floor using only your toes.
Other recommended exercises:
A ball game involving rolling the ball with the foot . It is ideal if you use a special ball with spikes that affect the biologically active points of the foot.
"Heel - toe." There are a lot of variations of this simple exercise, and alternating movement on your toes and heels perfectly trains the foot.
"Teddy Bear." Walking on the outside of your feet strengthens the muscles that form the arch of your feet. In the same way, pebbles on the seashore force a child who wants to go into the sea to lean on the outer sides of his feet.
Swimming. Leg movements during swimming train all leg muscles well, from the foot to the thigh.
A special orthopedic mat is an analogue of a pebble beach. The protrusions on the mat stimulate the muscles of the feet and have a tonic effect on the nervous system. Instead of an orthopedic mat in the warm season, you can practice walking barefoot. Moreover, for untrained heels, you can start with walking on the grass. Uneven soil and blades of grass accustom the delicate skin of habitual shoe soles to a completely different reality.
Of course, it is important that barefoot walking takes place away from areas where human activity could cause injury, such as broken glass or dried bones.
Correction of feet with incipient pathology requires special shoes. In order for the effect of changing shoes to be exactly what is needed, a consultation with an orthopedist is required. Maybe it will be special shoes, perhaps it will be limited to insoles.
Generally speaking, children's shoes need to be given the closest attention. It should not only be of high quality, but also effective , from a preventive point of view. It is intuitively clear that tight shoes are unacceptable. From a medical point of view, such shoes impair blood circulation and constrain muscles. However, you should not wear shoes that are too spacious - your feet cannot stand properly in them. This also includes the desirability of rigid fixation in the ankle, for example, hard boots. This fixation limits the mobility of the joints at the junction of the lower leg and foot and eliminates the possibility of “wobbling.”
Flat feet in children are not so much the consequences of bad habits (they have not yet formed), but rather problems of improper formation. There are a number of recommendations to prevent the development of this pathology in a child. In particular, do not wear shoes that are too tight or, conversely, too loose; if possible, use shoes that secure the ankle. Massage for flat feet in children is the most important procedure, the purpose of which is to stop the development of pathological changes.
The procedure for performing a foot massage for flat feet in children:
Massage for a child is performed carefully and carefully. Impacts that cause pain are unacceptable.
Flat feet is the flattening of the arches of the foot and the complete loss of all its spring (shock-absorbing) functions.
Normally, the foot has two arches - longitudinal (along the inner edge of the foot) and transverse (between the bases of the toes).
Flat feet can be longitudinal (flattening of the longitudinal arch of the foot) and transverse (flatness of the forefoot). If there is flattening of the longitudinal and transverse arches, they speak of combined flatfoot.
Both arches of the foot are designed to maintain balance and protect the body from shaking when walking.
The foot functions normally as a single complex when the load acting on it is completely balanced by strong ligaments and muscles. If the muscular-ligamentous apparatus is weakened, then the normal shape begins to be disrupted - the foot settles, becomes flat, and one of its main functions is lost - springing (spring).
In this case, the spine and leg joints (ankle, knee, hip) are forced to compensate for the shaking when walking. By their nature, they are not designed for this function, so they cope with it rather poorly and quickly fail.
Many people know pain in the back and legs, when the calves feel like they are filled with lead in the evening. But not many people know that the cause of these phenomena is flat feet. Flat feet is a disease that constantly reminds itself of itself by rapid fatigue when walking, pain in the feet, hips, legs, and lumbar region.
Pain appears when the body has run out of strength to ensure normal movement. By this time, both the knee and hip joints have time to suffer, and pathological posture has developed.
All this can lead to a disastrous outcome - arthrosis. Also, with flat feet, scoliosis often occurs as a result of a violation of the supporting system.
of varicose veins is also associated with flat feet . It can be difficult to help patients at this stage. Long-term special treatment, or even surgical intervention, is required.
Flat feet can be congenital or acquired.
Congenital flatfoot is quite rare and is a consequence of intrauterine malformations of the structural elements of the foot.
Acquired flatfoot occurs at ANY age, and can be traumatic, paralytic, rachitic, or static.
Traumatic flatfoot develops as a result of fractures of the bones of the foot and ankle joint or damage to the soft tissues that strengthen the arch of the foot.
Paralytic flatfoot (paralytic flatfoot) occurs after polio. The cause in this case is paralysis of the foot and tibial muscles.
Rachitic flatfoot develops after suffering from rickets. Rickets disrupts the normal formation of the bones of the foot. The bones become less strong and under the influence of stress, when muscles and ligaments are weakened, the foot becomes deformed and flat feet form.
Static should be considered a separate form , the causes of which may be:
• hereditary predisposition (congenital weakness of the ligamentous apparatus)
• weakness of the muscles and ligaments of the foot and lower leg due to low physical activity and lack of training in people with “sedentary” professions
• prolonged stress on the legs (long standing, high-heeled shoes, pregnancy, etc.).
the FIRST SYMPTOMS OF FLAT FOOT yourself:
• your shoes are worn down and worn out on the inside
• legs get tired quickly when walking and standing
• fatigue and pain in the legs at the end of the day, cramps, a feeling of heaviness, swelling
• swelling in the ankle area
• very difficult to walk in heels
• your foot seems to have grown - you have to buy shoes a size larger (especially in width)
• your foot has become so wide that you can no longer fit into your favorite shoes.
However, the listed signs may correspond not only to flat feet, but also to other diseases - for example, varicose veins .
In any case, if you experience unpleasant or painful sensations in the foot area, you should consult an orthopedist.
DIAGNOSIS OF FLAT FOOT is based on:
1) Clinical examination by an orthopedic doctor
2) Performing an X-ray examination of the feet (according to indications)
To determine the degree of flatfoot, radiographs of both feet are taken in frontal and lateral projections with a load.
The final diagnosis is made on the basis of x-rays.
Early diagnosis and timely prevention will help keep your feet beautiful and healthy!
The severity of flatfoot disease can vary.
Ligamentous failure is the earliest stage of the disease. The shape of the foot is not changed, but as a result of overstretching of the ligaments, pain occurs that appears after a long walk or at the end of the day. After rest, the pain in the feet goes away.
With mild flat feet (grade I), after physical activity, a feeling of fatigue appears in the legs, and painful sensations occur when pressing on the foot. Fatigue is noted when walking, the gait becomes less flexible, and often the foot swells in the evening.
Combined flatfoot is the next, 2nd stage of the disease. The arches of the feet disappear, the foot is spread out. Pain in the feet is constant and more severe. The pain covers the entire leg down to the knee joint. There is significant difficulty walking.
Finally, degree III flatfoot is a pronounced deformation of the foot. Often patients consult a doctor only at this stage. After all, pain in the feet, legs, which are almost always swollen, and in the knee joints is constantly felt. The lower back often hurts, and a painful headache appears. With grade III flat feet, sports become unavailable, ability to work is significantly reduced, and even quiet, short walking is difficult. A person can no longer move in ordinary shoes.
Flat feet are one of those diseases that, once they occur, progress quite quickly.
This causes deformation of the fingers; they acquire a hammer-like shape. The more sharply it is expressed, the more the thumb deviates outward.
The list of complications with flat feet is quite impressive.
• Pain in feet, knees, hips, back
• Unnatural “heavy” gait and posture, club feet when walking
• Disproportionately developed or underdeveloped leg muscles
• Diseases of the knee joints (arthrosis deformans, inflammation of the menisci, knee joint laxity)
• Spinal diseases (osteochondrosis, curvature, herniated discs, radiculitis)
Another consequence of flat feet is a disease of the plantar aponeurosis, a nerve, so-called Mardan’s neuralgia, heel spur. It occurs even in young women 20-25 years old and is accompanied by burning pain.
Treating this seemingly simple disease is quite difficult. In addition, you need to know that there will never come a moment when a person can breathe a sigh of relief: well, I’m cured! Especially with advanced pathology. Flat feet are a lifelong disease. Complete cure for flat feet is possible only in childhood. In adults, with the help of special rehabilitation measures, the development of the disease can only be slowed down and prevent it from developing into more severe pathologies.
The earlier the signs of the disease are identified, the smaller the foot deformity, the more favorable the conditions for stopping the progression of flat feet and its correction.
Treatment should be comprehensive, aimed at relieving pain, strengthening the muscles and ligaments of the foot in order to stop the progression of the deformity and prevent the development of complications.
To relieve pain, medications and physiotherapeutic procedures are used.
The basis of treatment is special therapeutic exercises, which must be carried out at home daily.
Therapeutic gymnastics is used to achieve a corrective effect (for the first degree of flat feet), trains muscles, strengthens the ligaments, corrects the defective alignment of the foot bones, and forms the correct walking stereotype.
There are various special sets of exercises. When choosing exercises, the following are taken into account: shape, position of the foot, complaints, age. An orthopedic surgeon will help you choose specific exercises and their intensity.
Special individually selected exercises are alternated with regular exercises that strengthen the muscles of the foot and lower leg.
To improve blood circulation and normalize muscle tone, massage of the feet and legs and foot baths are useful.
A special role in the treatment and prevention of progression of flat feet is given to orthopedic insoles, which are prescribed already at the first degree of pathology. They help relieve painful areas of the foot and correct identified deformities at the initial signs of flat feet, return the foot to its normal position and take on the functions of a shock absorber.
They are made to order based on an individual impression of the foot after examination, taking measurements of the foot and determining the degree of flattening of the arch.
In cases of advanced flatfoot, special orthopedic shoes are made in the form of boots with lacing, a solid sole and lateral support for the foot.
An orthopedic surgeon will help you select all these simple devices.
If there is severe deformation of the big toe, constant pain and the inability to find shoes, one has to resort to surgical treatment .
Equally important in the prevention of flat feet is the correct selection of shoes.
Undoubtedly, fashionable high-heeled shoes look very nice on your feet, but do not wear them every day. Otherwise, it may happen that after a while you will be doomed to wear only orthopedic shoes.
The best shoes are made of soft leather with flexible soles, low heels (3-4 cm), wide toes, no platforms, a leather upper is a must. Sneakers too (unless, of course, they are fake).
Avoid wearing shoes that are too wide or loose. It causes chafing, inflammation and calluses. But wearing tight shoes is even more harmful - in addition to calluses, it leads to crooked fingers, poor circulation and ingrown nails. Shoes should fit your foot like a second skin.
Unfortunately, there are now a lot of low-quality and even harmful products on our market, brought to us from God knows where.
Flat feet are a very serious and insidious pathology that accelerates wear and tear of almost the entire musculoskeletal system.
So take such a seemingly insignificant problem as flat feet more seriously. Don't delay his treatment.
But for some reason people generally pay little attention to their feet, forgetting that the health of the feet is the health of the entire body, and most often they go to the doctor with complications of flat feet.
It’s a bit late, of course, it would be better to contact an orthopedic specialist much earlier, but still better than never.
By contacting our Clinic, you will receive adequate treatment, the result of which will be relief from long-term, sometimes long-term pain, bad mood, and subsequently you will feel quite comfortable.
Health is much more important than the time spent on a visit to the hospital.
The feet are an important part of the musculoskeletal system; their correct structure allows a person to move on two legs and maintain balance, without negatively affecting the joints of the legs and spine. If the foot is deformed, the load is distributed incorrectly, the bones, joints suffer and the legs begin to ache.
One of the most common types of deformity in children and adults is flat feet. In this case, the foot becomes flattened, the foot ceases to perform a shock-absorbing function and is externally deformed. In childhood, pathology is successfully treated with conservative methods, and in adults only surgically, so it is very important to identify signs of the disease in time and undergo a course of therapy.
Flatfoot is a disease in which the foot becomes flattened. Flat feet in children is not always a disease; for example, during the first years of life, all children have flat feet, and this is a feature of the baby’s development. Over time, the legs grow, and the feet take on a special curve, which provides shock-absorbing function.
In most children, correct arches are formed between the ages of 7 and 12 years, so the degree of flat feet in children is usually not determined; the doctor can only recommend that parents use preventive measures. If after 12 years the legs do not acquire the correct shape, then they already speak of the presence of a disease.
There are 3 degrees of flat feet:
If flat feet in children are not treated, it gradually progresses, the legs not only become flattened, but also become deformed, having a negative impact on the ankle, knee and hip joints, spine and spinal cord. The consequence of advanced flat feet in adulthood is scoliosis, arthrosis, arthritis and other serious pathologies.
Flat feet in a child can be congenital or acquired. Congenital pathology is rare; it is associated with developmental pathologies in the womb. In the vast majority of cases, the disease develops due to the child’s poor lifestyle.
First of all, you need to pay attention to shoes; the child should wear shoes with a hard back, a small heel and a soft instep support. Your baby's shoes should not be flat-soled. It is also not recommended to wear shoes at home without a doctor's prescription; a child's feet develop better when he walks barefoot.
Physical activity plays an important role, so much attention is paid to exercise therapy for flat feet in the treatment of pathology. If a child leads a passive lifestyle, the leg muscles weaken and no longer support the body weight, as a result, deformation occurs.
Parents also need to pay attention to the baby’s nutrition, it should be healthy and balanced, vitamin deficiency and the development of obesity should not be allowed. In the first case, the tissues will not have enough nutrition and will stop developing correctly, and if there is excess weight, the load on the baby’s foot will greatly increase.
The easiest way to find out if a child has flat feet is to consult a doctor. It is usually difficult to identify pathology with the naked eye, especially since children in the first years of life always experience physiological flat feet.
A simple way to suspect flat feet in adults is to apply thick cream or paint to the feet and leave an imprint on a piece of paper. The resulting footprint must be measured with a ruler; the width at the narrowest point should be less than 2 times the length of the foot. For children, this method is uninformative due to the developmental characteristics of the foot.
Parents should pay attention to the following symptoms that may indicate the presence of pathology:
Flat feet in children can be effectively treated with conservative methods, since the baby’s body is still developing and growing, and deformities can be corrected. The child is prescribed to perform exercises for flat feet, undergo a course of massage and physiotherapy, and wear orthopedic insoles and shoes.
Exercises for flat feet in children are the most important part of therapy, since first of all it is necessary to strengthen the muscle frame and improve blood circulation in the tissues of the legs. In this case, the feet will quickly return to a physiologically correct state.
Exercise therapy for flat feet is prescribed by a doctor, and it should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. The orthopedist refers the child to a physical therapy office, where a physical therapy specialist regularly conducts classes.
When the child has fully mastered the program, he will be able to independently carry out training at home. Gymnastics for flat feet are effective only when they are performed every day, for a long period of time, and, better yet, throughout their lives as a preventive measure. For flat feet in adults, exercises from this complex can serve as prevention.
Let's consider several effective exercises that can be performed at home for treatment and prevention:
It is also recommended that a child with flat feet regularly visit the pool; swimming helps strengthen the muscles of the legs, arms and back, this will help relieve flattening of the foot, as well as prevent the development of scoliosis and osteochondrosis of the spine.
In order for flatfoot exercises for adults and children to have a good effect, it is recommended to combine them with massage. Foot massage for flat feet in children should be carried out by a specialist as prescribed by a doctor. Usually this procedure is combined with a massage of the legs and back to improve blood circulation throughout the body.
The specialist uses a special technique that allows you to return the foot to its normal position, normalize tissue nutrition and relieve fatigue from the legs. At home, massage for flat feet in children can also be carried out by a parent; for this, the baby’s legs need to be stroked, rubbed; too much pressure must not be applied without preparation, so as not to cause pain to the child.
Massage with paraffin is also effective for flat feet, but such a procedure must be prescribed by a doctor; self-medication is not recommended. To carry out this treatment, you need to buy paraffin at the pharmacy and heat it in a water bath, the warm liquid is applied to the legs in several layers to make boots.
Wrap the paraffin compress on top with a down scarf and leave for 20 minutes, then remove and massage. This procedure is usually carried out in a clinic, but you can also do a massage with paraffin at home. Recommendations for performing the procedure at home are given by an orthopedist during a consultation.
Flat feet is a serious pathology, which, if left untreated, can even make a child disabled, which is why the prevention of flat feet in preschool children is so important.
To prevent the disease, parents should follow the following recommendations:
Compliance with the above recommendations guarantees the correct formation of the foot and will save the child from pain in the legs and back in the future.
Flat feet is a pathology that often develops in preschool children. Let us immediately note that flat feet in children can be congenital or acquired. With congenital deformities of the foot, the talus bone is located vertically. Flat feet can have very serious consequences. If parents do not pay attention to such a pathology in a preschool child, then very soon he will develop a curvature of the spine. Flat feet in a child often cause severe pain in the legs, headaches, and can lead to even more serious pathologies.
The main danger of flat feet lies in the rapid wear and tear of the child’s musculoskeletal system. If no measures are taken during the development of this pathology, then the preschooler may soon develop serious problems with the spine (scoliosis). In adulthood, the consequences of childhood flat feet are varicose veins, arthritis, osteochondrosis, radiculitis and other serious illnesses.
Flat feet can be treated, but only at an early age, when the child’s foot has not yet completed its formation (up to 5 years). After starting treatment, the chances of stopping the development of pathology increase significantly. If your child quickly gets tired of walking or complains of severe pain in the legs, be sure to take him to see an orthopedist.
Several factors can provoke flat feet in a preschooler. In particular, the cause of this pathology is often congenital clubfoot, foot injuries, rickets, poor-quality (small or too large) shoes, excess weight, and previous infectious diseases (with severe complications). Based on the above factors, it can be summarized that flat feet can also develop in healthy children, and in many cases the blame lies with the parents. About 80% of cases of childhood flat feet are caused by the child being overweight or wearing poor-quality shoes.
Often, flat feet develop against the background of a whole complex of incorrect actions. Parents buy low-quality shoes for their preschooler (not corresponding to the size of the child’s feet), feed them fatty foods (as a result of which excess weight appears and, as a result, the preschooler develops flat feet). To prevent the development of flat feet in preschoolers, parents should carefully select shoes. It should have a hard back, a small heel (no more than 0.5 cm and an insole with arch support). Doctors do not recommend that parents put worn shoes (inherited from older brothers or sisters) on their child’s feet. It will dangle on the leg, which can lead to flat feet.
Diagnosing flat feet in preschool children can only be done by x-ray examination, examining the foot in the plantar and lateral projections, as well as its condition during heavy loads. With flat feet, the forefoot is subject to deformation, deviating slightly to the side. The midfoot arches toward the sole, with the heel in an equinus position. The longitudinal arch of the foot is not visible, the calcaneal tendon is greatly shortened. The scaphoid bone is displaced towards the dorsum of the talus.
It is necessary to begin treatment for flat feet in a preschool child immediately after diagnosis. For children under one year old with congenital flat feet, doctors recommend massage procedures aimed at correcting the position of the talus. Corrective procedures include plantar flexion and wearing arch supports . After the correction has been completed, the doctor must apply a circular plaster cast to the child (it must be changed every week until the position of the foot is completely corrected). When treating children's flat feet, wearing such a bandage is required for six months, after which the child is prescribed constant wearing of orthopedic shoes.
Non-operative treatment of preschool children with flat feet involves performing back massage procedures, foot massage, active and passive corrective exercises (aimed at the correct formation of the arch of the foot), regular swimming lessons, injections of B vitamins and ATP, vitamins D3 and calcium . However, using non-operative methods to combat flat feet, it is not always possible to completely eliminate this pathology.
Surgery for flat feet in children is carried out after one year. The extent of the operation will depend on how severe the foot deformities are in the young patient, as well as on the effectiveness of the non-operative treatment performed before the operation. During surgery, doctors lengthen the tendons of the peroneal muscle and mobilize the talus (bringing it into a horizontal position). The tibial tendon is also shortened. Immediately after the operation, the child’s foot is fixed using a mobile plaster cast.
Exercise therapy and gymnastics are an integral part of treatment for flat feet. The convenience lies in the fact that the child can practice at home; to achieve results, it is not necessary to attend expensive procedures. We will tell you how to conduct classes for a child in this article.
Exercise therapy, i.e., a therapeutic and physical training complex for flat feet, is always part of a combined conservative treatment.
More than 80% of cases of children's flat feet can be corrected thanks to gentle treatment, without surgery.
For longitudinal and transverse flat feet, as well as for combined foot deformities of 1-2, and sometimes 2-3 degrees, doctors begin treatment with complex treatment. It includes massage, manual therapy, wearing orthopedic shoes recommended by an orthopedist, as well as gymnastics.
Gymnastic orthopedic exercises allow you to strengthen the muscles of the feet, tendons, and ankle muscles, which helps correct mild and moderate flat feet.
In case of severe anomalies, surgical intervention is indicated, but cases of severe foot pathologies are not such a common occurrence.
Therefore, we can safely say that exercise therapy is one of the foundations for successful correction of flat feet in the vast majority of cases. The first classes can be performed at a clinic at your place of residence under the supervision of an experienced instructor - a medical worker, and subsequently perform a set of exercises at home.
Before starting classes, you should know that the best results from gymnastics and foot massage can be obtained between the ages of 7 and 15 years ; flat feet are best corrected in children aged 10 to 12 years.
Longitudinal flatfoot with this effect is treated better than transverse one. The course of treatment is long, you should not expect instant results. According to statistics, correction requires an average of 2 to 3 years. In some cases, it takes about 5 years of systematic and systematic studies.
There is no universal list of exercises and techniques, since each child is assigned a specific training program, taking into account the degree and type of deformation and characteristics of the foot. But there are basic exercises that are included in almost all complexes of physical therapy. We'll tell you more about them.
To more effectively perform some exercises in the complex, you will need to have on hand:
Problems and questions can arise only with the last point, because the choice of similar products in stores and orthopedic salons is large.
When choosing an applicator mat for treatment, you need to get the recommendations of an orthopedic doctor who will tell you about all the features of the child’s pathology and tell you which mat will suit him best.
For therapeutic purposes, choose a massage mat made of hard materials with a pronounced protruding relief or needle-like texture.
Soft and gentle mats are more suitable for the prevention of flat feet than for treatment.
You can perform exercises from a standing position on an applicator (no more than 15-20 minutes a day) , and then on a regular soft polyurethane foam mat.
If the treating orthopedic surgeon allows it, parents can purchase a training device or a mini training device for their child for flat feet. Today there is a large selection of both. These include boards - elevated platforms for stepping on, and pimply balls for exercising and simultaneously massaging the feet, and round rotating platforms with an uneven surface.
Exercises on simulators should complement classes, but in no case cancel physical therapy as such.
The complex includes exercises from various positions. It is always recommended to start with those that are done from a lying position:
The second part of the complex is performed while sitting on a mat:
Sitting on a chair (it is important that the furniture is appropriate for the child’s age, that is, when sitting, the feet do not dangle in the air, but confidently touch the floor), perform the second part of the exercises from a sitting position:
It is better to perform exercises in a standing position on the orthopedic massage mat mentioned above.
The duration of this part of the complex should not exceed 15 minutes:
The second part of the complex in a standing position is performed on a flat surface:
It is advisable to perform each exercise of the complex for flat feet 7-10 times, exercises should be daily.
Therapeutic physical education is effective in preschool and primary school age, as well as in adolescents up to 15-16 years old, while the foot is still in the formative stage. In adulthood, stopping the progression of the disease and starting its reverse development with the help of gymnastics and massage is often not possible.
Parents of children should be the most attentive during physical therapy. You shouldn’t force them to do it, so as not to discourage them forever. This is especially true for training with an applicator.
Gymnastics will require a certain pedagogical flexibility from parents - if it is painful or difficult now, then you can postpone the exercise until later.
It is important to carry out exercises in a playful way so that the baby finds it interesting. But with teenagers it is better to choose the opposite tactic - only the persistence of parents and the right motivation will help the boy or girl cope with the existing problem.
For children, it is better to start classes with 2-3 minutes a day, gradually increasing the time to 15 minutes. Teenagers can start with 5-6 minutes a day, increasing the load and time of each exercise gradually, so that after a couple of weeks they reach daily 20-25 minute exercises.
Many parents are interested in what types of physical activity can additionally help in correcting flat feet, and which ones will only do harm. The most important question, of course, concerns exemption from physical education classes at school. Orthopedists are unanimous on this issue - no exemption is required; for children with 2-3 degree flat feet, classes in special groups are recommended.
Every physical education teacher knows what a special group for flat feet is, and will select for the child only those exercises and loads that will not harm him and will benefit him.
A child with flat feet should definitely not engage in weightlifting, powerlifting, or boxing, in which the load on the legs is very high.
Running and especially speed skating and figure skating are strictly contraindicated.
Gymnastics and any sport involving jumping are not recommended - the load on the spinal column is serious, and it will be much more difficult for a child with impaired foot shock absorption to bear it. Football and hockey are therefore also cancelled.
A diagnosis of “flat feet” does not mean that a child’s path to sports is “forbidden.” With deformed feet, you can and should practice swimming (excluding diving) and synchronized swimming.
Oriental martial arts classes are very useful - taekwondo, karate, jujitsu, aikido. Cycling can help correct longitudinal flat feet in children and adolescents.
Treatment will be more effective if parents adhere to important rules for successful treatment of flat feet: