The foot has transverse and longitudinal arches, which are necessary for shock absorption and balance when moving. But sometimes there is a pathological change and flattening, which leads to the formation of flat feet. There can be many reasons for its appearance, but one of the most effective methods of treatment is special gymnastics. Exercise therapy for flat feet trains the leg muscles, stimulates blood circulation, and helps stop the progression of the disease.
Exercising your feet will take no more than 15 minutes a day, but if done systematically, you can get very good results and significantly slow down the flattening of your feet. This is achieved by stimulating blood circulation, developing the muscular-ligamentous apparatus of the lower extremities, strengthening and increasing joint mobility.
Daily training is aimed at correcting the pathological position of the arches of the legs and recording the results obtained. To combat flat feet, it is necessary to develop the following muscle groups:
The most effective exercises are multi-joint ones, involving several muscle groups at once. To do this, they make movements while standing, sitting, lying down, and also use auxiliary objects - cubes, balls, sticks. It is better to select a set of exercises against flat feet with an orthopedic doctor.
Before you start doing gymnastics, it is recommended to do a warm-up. It should include walking on your toes, heels, inner and outer feet, and lunges.
In these exercises, the muscles of the feet and legs receive the main load, but the buttocks and thighs are almost not strained. Before charging, you need to take the starting position: stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your belt. Preferred movements for correcting the arches of the lower extremities, performed from a standing position:
Supplement this workout with squats and half-squats, and perform the “swallow” exercise - it helps strengthen the transverse arch of the foot. To perform it, you need to transfer your body weight to one leg and move the other back. Maintain your balance by leaning towards your supporting leg. Start with 5-10 seconds and then increase the duration of the exercise.
Therapeutic exercises for flat feet in a sitting position strengthen the muscles of the thighs, legs and feet; the buttocks do not work in this position. For training you will need a chair with a hard seat. Starting position: legs bent at the knees, feet on the floor parallel to each other, shoulder width apart, ankle angle is 90 degrees. The most effective sitting exercises:
This is not the entire list of physical therapy for flat feet from this position. You can perform them while sitting cross-legged. One of the most effective movements for strengthening the arches of the lower extremities is to curl your toes, lean forward, try to press your stomach to your thighs, and then lift up onto the outside edge of your feet.
Sit on the floor with straight legs, extend one and bend the other at the knee and draw a line from foot to knee with your thumb. Perform 4-5 strokes on each side.
The effect of the exercises will be more noticeable if they are performed on an uneven surface. In this case, the muscles of the foot develop and the vestibular apparatus is connected to the work.
In the supine position, only the muscles of the lower leg and feet work, and there is absolutely no load on the back and buttocks. Such exercises for flat feet can be done in the morning after waking up and in the evening before bed. Therapeutic exercises to correct flattening of the foot while lying down:
If you do a light relaxing massage after gymnastics, the pain will become less noticeable, the swelling will not be as pronounced and your legs will not get so tired.
Exercises against flat feet for teenagers are the same as for adults. It is recommended to strengthen the muscular-ligamentous apparatus of the lower extremities from an early age to avoid pathology in the future.
Flat feet is a disease that needs to be eliminated systemically. It is easiest to cure the disease at the initial stage of development, when the deformity has not yet become so severe; in advanced cases, conservative therapy may be ineffective, then surgery is recommended.
In order for the results of exercise therapy to not be long in coming, you should switch to proper nutrition, lose excess weight, start taking vitamins, especially complexes with calcium and vitamin D, and wear corrective shoes.
Exercises for flat feet in adults must be performed to strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the lower extremities. Correct and systematic performance of gymnastics prevents the development of deformity and slows down the flattening of the foot. Physical education is most effective at the initial stage of the disease.
A disease such as flat feet is very common throughout the world. Normally, the sole should form an arch, but with this pathology, the arch of the foot becomes flat. This deformation leads to the development of severe and constant pain in the legs, as the shock-absorbing function of the arch of the foot is lost. Such a person’s feet constantly hurt, shoes wear out quickly, and in older people, deformation of the ankle joint occurs, which significantly limits their ability to move. How to treat and correct such a defect in a child and an adult? To do this, there are a large number of different techniques that will help get rid of the disease for both children and adults.
Physical therapy or exercise therapy for flat feet in adults and children is basic in the treatment process. Exercises against flat feet are aimed at forming the correct arch of the foot due to the active impact on the ligaments and muscles of the legs. There are 3 types of flat feet: transverse, longitudinal and combined. And depending on the type of lesion, we will choose the necessary exercises.
The most necessary thing when doing exercise therapy is a soft gymnastic mat. You should not perform exercises on a hard surface, as you will only increase the load on your legs, which will lead to pain and discomfort. You can perform the following exercises on the mat:
All movements are performed smoothly, slowly and painlessly. If unpleasant subjective sensations arise, I recommend stopping the activity. The duration of this complex is no more than 20 minutes. In addition to the standard rug, there are many embossed, soft products that you need to walk on. For example, you can use a seashell type rug. It perfectly imitates scattered small pebbles and shells. Walking on uneven surfaces is basic exercise therapy for flat feet in children.
We lie on our backs on a gymnastics mat. Next, you can perform the following exercises for flat feet for children and adults:
Such gymnastics for transverse flat feet effectively trains and shapes the arch of the foot, both in children and adults. Children do exercises for up to 5 minutes, adults for up to 10 minutes, periodically combining and alternating them.
Hemispheres are rubber products with a small spiky surface. We put them on the floor and stand facing them. We make an alternate ascent to the left hemisphere, then to the right. We try to imitate walking up the stairs. Next, we stand with both feet on the spheres and imitate walking. To make it more difficult, we try to raise the knee to an angle of 90 degrees. We perform it slowly, constantly maintaining balance. Invite a loved one for insurance. This kind of exercise for flat feet in children is performed strictly under the supervision of parents, as there is a risk of injury.
You need to find a stick (or tube) long enough to walk on. For the correct therapeutic effect it is necessary to perform:
Be careful not to trip or fall. You can also take a stick in both hands, fix the other end on the floor and, moving your legs on both sides, try to “climb” onto it.
An important element of training, as it allows you to remove the load from both legs above the foot. To do this, sit up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. The first exercise is to move your toes towards you as much as possible, while fixing the foot itself. Repeat 15–20 times. The second exercise involves curling your toes, raising your toes. Third exercise: bend your fingers and simultaneously turn your feet inward, repeat 10-15 times. Exercises for transverse flat feet will be with small objects. For a positive effect, you need to move pens or pencils from one pile to another, using only your toes. First we shift everything with one foot, and back with the other. You can perform the following exercises for longitudinal flat feet:
This type of leg exercise will help relieve muscle tension in the longitudinal arch of the foot. Repeat 10–20 times on each leg.
This set of exercises for flat feet is aimed at targeting the area of the sole. To do this you will need a small rubber ball with spikes. Direct physical contact with rubber spikes simulates the impact on acupuncture points. Sitting on a chair, place your foot on the ball and roll it for 2-3 minutes. Movements should be directed:
We will also need a hemisphere. We put it in the middle and lift it, clasping it with both legs. We make a smooth rise and fall, making sure that it does not fall out. We alternately place one foot and then the other on it. We remove the hemisphere and take a stick. We place it in front of our feet and try to roll it out with the soles of our feet. We perform movements from toes to heels.
The formation of the arch of the foot in children occurs before the age of 7–8 years. During this period, it is necessary to have time to form it correctly and prevent the formation of flat feet. Flat feet in children of this age can be successfully treated with little effort. To correct and treat flat feet, many foot workouts have been invented. Therapeutic gymnastics for flat feet in children consists of the following exercises:
This kind of gymnastics for longitudinal and transverse flat feet for children perfectly helps to form the correct arch, allows it to be corrected and leveled if there are already anatomical changes. Such exercises also help well if there are problems with the arch in adolescents, but for a positive effect a more serious approach is required, since all the anatomical structures of the leg are already formed.
As you know, a person is born with a flat foot. Its full physical formation is completed by the age of 4. It is by this age that the arch of the foot should form. If this does not happen, the doctor diagnoses flat feet. In order to strengthen the muscles of the feet, you need to do exercises for flat feet every day. For the feet, you need to regularly perform training, preferably from childhood.
The main cause of flat feet is weak muscles and ligaments of the lower leg. Accordingly, in order to cure flat feet, you need to strengthen them. It is necessary to change its arch, fix and hold the foot in the correct position. Complex therapy includes the use of orthopedic insoles and shoes. There are specially designed gymnastics for flat feet. It should be alternated with strength exercises and stretching techniques. This allows you to train all the muscles of the foot at the same time.
If you do not start exercises against flat feet in time, problems may arise not only with the joints, but also with vital organs. Bad feet include arthrosis of the knee and ankle joints, gout, spurs, type 2 diabetes and even hypertension.
A set of exercises for the prevention of flat feet can only be prescribed by the attending physician. First of all, you need to first understand what it is like.
There is longitudinal and transverse flatfoot, and the foot has 3 arches and 2 arches. The arches are made up of muscles, therefore, in order to cure flat feet, they need to be trained. In children, flat feet are most often diagnosed between the ages of 1 and 4 years. Aligning and strengthening your child’s foot will not be difficult. In adults, this type of flatfoot often develops from sedentary work, which does not allow much movement. Standing work has the same negative impact, because over a long period of time the bones of the foot are deformed and it becomes flat.
Rachitic flatfoot develops against the background of the disease of the same name. Due to their fragile structure, bones become deformed under the weight of their own body. In some cases, this occurs after excessive stress on weakened bones of the foot. Weakness of the ligamentous apparatus, muscles of the lower leg and foot can provoke the so-called static flatfoot.
Among the factors that provoke it are the following:
Static flatfoot is manifested not only by a change in the shape of the foot, but also by painful sensations.
Pain occurs mainly at night and is localized in the following areas:
When diagnosing flat feet, the doctor first of all pays attention to the appearance and condition of the feet. Pathology reveals pronation or hyperpranation of the foot. If the height of the arches is different, it means that one of the limbs is relatively shortened. In the future, this entails a change in the position of the pelvis and the development of scoliotic posture.
If, when walking, the foot touches the ground with its entire inner part, it means that it has an incorrect structure. The foot becomes flat and the arch drops when the ligaments and muscles are overstrained. In this case, it is recommended to carry out exercise therapy for flat feet in adults as often as possible. This is necessary for a favorable outcome of the disease.
You will need a large sports bar. You need to stand with your toes on its edge and, holding the support with your hands, slowly squat as low as possible. The back and arms should be straight. Then, without changing the position of the body, you should slowly rise to the starting position.
If you do 20 of these squats, your leg will become hot, from the toes and heel to the hip joint. This indicates the full functioning of all muscles and ligaments.
This is a more complex exercise that intensively trains and works all the muscles of the foot. To perform it, you must have good coordination and a healthy cerebellum. There are many muscles and ligaments in the foot: flexors, extensors, adductors, abductors. To properly correct flat feet with gymnastics and exercises, you need to use as many muscle ligaments as possible.
This exercise to prevent flat feet can be done barefoot, but only if your feet are dry. You will need two small rubber balls and a support to hold onto and balance on. Your feet are placed on the balls, and while holding this position, you need to slowly squat as low as possible. In this case, the foot should wrap the entire inner surface of the ball. At the same time, all joints work and, most importantly, the sole is worked out. Start with 5 approaches, gradually increasing the load.
In order for a correct gait to form, it is necessary not only to wear shoes with orthopedic insoles, but also to be exactly the right size. Before starting complex types of gymnastics, you need to start with the simpler ones. This way the foot muscles will gradually warm up and there will be no injuries.
The set of exercises for flat feet includes:
The duration of all these exercises is 5-10 minutes. Thanks to this complex, it will be possible to influence the ligaments of the legs and feet. The irregular shape of the leg can be corrected if you perform this exercise correctly and regularly.
Massaging your legs and feet will help you achieve better results. If you do morning exercises with flat feet, it will have a beneficial effect on muscle tone, charging you with energy and vigor.
You need to get up and sit down in a Turkish pose. In order for the exercise to be performed correctly and to achieve results, it is necessary to monitor the child’s feet. When rising from this pose, your legs should be in a crossed position. Then you need to sit back in the starting position. It will be difficult for a child to do this, but this is the essence of the exercise.
“Tree Pose” is one of the most effective exercises for the legs, strengthening the feet and forming the correct arch of the foot. Starting position: you need to stand on your toes and place your feet parallel to each other, hands on your belt. Stand on your heels, raising your toes as high as possible. Keep your legs in this position as long as possible, then lower yourself onto your entire foot.
What follows are several exercises on proper walking with supination of the foot and adduction of the foot inward. It is necessary to place your feet shoulder-width apart, with the inside side up, and walk on the mat only on the outer edge of the foot. Thus, you need to walk along the mat several times, leaning only on the outer edge of the foot.
For therapeutic exercises, or as it is also called physical education, you will need a special needle massage roller. Each exercise lasts 30 seconds. First you need to roll the massage roller, stepping on it with the entire sole of your foot. Start with one leg for 30 seconds, then the other. After this, the roller is rolled with the outer edge of the sole of the foot. First with one leg, then the other, and the inner surface of the foot is worked out. Each exercise for prevention is repeated up to 6 times in one approach and, if possible, perform them daily.
Without physical therapy, it is impossible to correct the deformed position of the foot, especially with advanced flat feet. An integrated approach is important - using only orthopedic shoes will not get rid of flat feet.
There are a lot of useful techniques that have been developed by kinesitherapy specialists. There are cases when, in order to cure flat feet, it is enough to massage the foot well, but this is a rare occurrence. In most cases, full-fledged gymnastics is required for flat feet. It is universal and suitable for the treatment of already formed pathology and as a prevention.
Exercises for flat feet work to build and strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the foot.
Flat feet – flattening of the arch of the foot and its deformation. If the muscles are not loaded, they weaken and the foot is not supported in an elevated position. The sole of the foot has a longitudinal and transverse support structure. When the functions of these structures weaken, flat feet appear.
Special exercises can be alternated with general developmental exercises, since flat feet can develop in physically weak people. For adults, exercises for flat feet are aimed at maintaining the correct position of the arch of the sole, as well as as a preventative measure for flat feet. For children, exercises help correct the arch of the foot.
Some exercises, such as walking, require additional support. Walking is a great way to use the whole body, but it can be challenging for people with flat feet. It is necessary to purchase shoes with special insoles to support the arch of the foot. Walking in such shoes is an excellent exercise for the arch muscles.
All of the above exercises are useful. They strengthen the muscles of the lower legs and feet. Such gymnastics must be made a habitual and everyday activity. Systematic exercises reduce the problem of flat feet.
Many people suffer from flat feet, but not everyone thinks about preventing or treating this disease. How to treat flat feet anyway? Repeat 10 times. The 4th exercise for flat feet is lifting the outer arch of the foot. Sit on a chair with your feet on the outside of the soles. With your feet in this position, stand up.
As you know, it is better to prevent any disease in advance than to treat it. For flat feet and for the prevention of this disease, a set of measures is needed, and orthopedic shoes, although important, are only one of the measures. On our website you can consult and choose orthopedic shoes for children and adults from such brands as Tellus , Ortex , 4rest-Orto . Our Consultant will help you determine the model that is right for you. If you have already chosen orthopedic shoes, then to effectively combat foot and leg deformities, we recommend one more measure: performing a series of exercises.
The exercises are performed barefoot and preferably daily. So, below is a set of exercises for the legs that will help in the fight against flat feet, hallux valgus, varus and other deformities.
The first exercise for flat feet is rotating the feet. You need to take a comfortable position on a chair, place your heels on the floor shoulder-width apart. Rotations are performed with the feet in both directions, alternately. Likewise, do the exercise while standing. We recommend doing 10 repetitions.
2nd exercise – with the feet on the ribs. It can be performed while sitting on a chair or standing on the floor, alternating positions. The whole point of the exercise is to place your feet either on the inside of the sole or on the outside. Perform up to 10 times.
The 3rd exercise for flat feet is turning the feet. It can be performed first standing, leaning your hands on the back, and then sitting. If it is difficult for you to do this exercise for your legs, you can sit down a little. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, turn your feet - first bring your heels together, then your toes. Do it at least 10 times.
4th exercise – alternately lifting on your heels and on your toes. To do this, place your feet shoulder-width apart and place your feet parallel to each other. Then, slowly perform lifts on your heels, then on your toes. Perform each lift 10 times. Similarly, perform this foot exercise while standing on one leg. Alternate legs, performing 10 reps on each leg.
The 5th exercise for flat feet is lifting the outer arch of the foot. Perform it sitting on a chair, with your feet on the outer side of the sole. It is in this position of your feet that you stand up. Repeat the exercise 10 times, but from a “sitting” position on the floor.
6th exercise – walking in place. This exercise must be performed at a fast pace. The toes should not be lifted off the floor, and the feet should point slightly inward, with the legs bent at the knees. When performing, swing your hips as much as possible to the sides - left and right. In this case, you need to keep your breathing even and try not to move your shoulders. Perform for 20-40 seconds.
The 7th leg exercise for flat feet is low lunges. To do this, stand straight. Take a confident lunge forward with your foot. After this, you need to change the supporting leg, turning 180° degrees. Be sure to keep your back straight. This exercise is performed 10 times.
Good results can be achieved in the treatment of flat feet and other deformities by performing exercises with a stick. To do this you will need a round stick with a diameter of approximately 3 cm and a length of 1.2-1.5 meters:
The first exercise is walking across a stick. To do this, you need to place it in the middle of the foot, across. The essence of this exercise is precisely to step over the stick with lateral steps, from one edge to the other. This exercise helps treat transverse flat feet;
The second exercise is walking along a stick. To do this, you need to take steps along the stick, placing it along the foot. First, you start walking forward with your toes, and back - backwards. This exercise helps to cure longitudinal flat feet;
The third exercise is rolling a stick with your feet. To do this, you need to roll the stick along the floor, first with each foot separately, taking an emphasis while sitting on a chair or on the floor. After this, we roll the stick with both feet at the same time. You need to perform this exercise for 5-10 minutes daily.
It is important for children to provide all exercises in a playful way. Your imagination and good mood will help you with this!
Exercises for the feet are a set of physical activity aimed at eliminating pain, strengthening the muscles of the ankle and maintaining the mobility of the joints of the limbs. Even if with the help of gymnastics it is not possible to completely get rid of the disease, it will be possible to significantly reduce the unpleasant symptoms.
Throughout the day, the feet and ankles receive maximum stress, especially. If a person’s activity involves standing for a long time. Therefore, it is necessary to perform warm-up and exercises for the legs and feet, which will allow you to maintain the correct biomechanics of movements and stabilization of the body.
Foot exercises
If you regularly perform the given set of exercises, you can achieve good results, including:
If desired, foot exercises can be performed on a special massage mat. They are a path whose surface is strewn with small pebbles or hard plastic and wooden elements. If such a thing is at home, then you need to regularly, every evening, spread it on the floor and walk naked, then take a relaxing foot bath.
It is best to start exercises by preparing the body for exercise. To do this, you can do the warm-up that everyone did in school during physical education classes: walking on the boys' feet, then on the inside, and then on the outside of the foot.
If classes are held at home, then this example can be used to move around rooms, for example: go to the kitchen on your toes, and return on your feet turned inward. Also, don’t forget about your heels; you can either stand or walk on them.
If you are used to walking around at home in slippers. It is recommended to abandon them in favor of wearing cotton socks (if it’s cold), ideally you should go barefoot.
Flexible Band Exercises
When your legs are warmed up, you can increase the load on them. This is where an elastic rubber band, which can be purchased at a pharmacy, will come to the rescue. You need to tie it around your feet, then stand on your heels and try to spread your limbs in different directions. This is an exercise to train the outer surface of the foot. And if the task is to work the inner surface, then the feet are crossed and the actions are repeated.
Also an elementary but effective exercise is the use of the same rubber band, tied with one end to the support and the other to the heel. Here you need to stretch the elastic band, pulling your foot towards you.
After this, you need to take a comfortable position, sitting on a chair or bed. Now you need to stretch your feet forward and perform rotational movements (your legs are above the floor surface). Movements first to the inside, then to the outside. The exercise should be performed until a slight burning sensation appears in the joints (an average of 15 to 20 rotations).
For those who lead a sedentary lifestyle and are concerned about the condition of their lower extremities. An exercise is suggested that involves rolling a bottle filled with water with your feet on the floor. You can also stretch your foot by lowering and lifting it, as if you were pressing on a pedal.
If you have not previously suffered serious injuries, then you can allow yourself to regularly jump rope, which will help quickly strengthen your ankle. But for maximum load on the ankles, you need to do jumps without bending your knees, using only the ankle.
During the summer, it is best to walk barefoot on grass, sand or pebble beaches as often as possible. You can also implement the idea in winter: you need to take a tray, pour the selected element into it, bare your feet, and enjoy the exercise.
And finally, you can perform an exercise that is useful for both children and adults. It helps strengthen the ankle and prevents flat feet. To perform it, you need to scatter small objects on the floor (buttons, pebbles, shells, scraps of fabric) and collect them with your toes. To practice balancing, you can do the exercise while standing.
The main reason for the development of flat feet is an imbalance in muscle development. At the initial stage, this disease can be managed. Therefore, experts suggest exercises that need to be done when diagnosing this disease. Patients who have been diagnosed with flat feet often experience pain not only in the ankle, but throughout the entire leg, and the presented complex will help get rid of them.
All actions are performed while sitting on a chair in a comfortable position, and you should start with no more than three repetitions of each combination, but gradually increase them, because the muscles tend to get used to certain loads. The maximum number of approaches is 15.
Exercises for flat feet
That's the whole complex, which at first glance seems quite simple. It actually has a high ability to restore foot muscles. Therefore, with regular implementation, the results will not take long to arrive.
You can do foot exercises while moving. To get started, you just need to take a roller and roll it on the floor with your feet. This will allow you to strengthen your muscles. When the task is completed, you can begin the main exercises, of which there are only two:
This type of gymnastics helps strengthen muscles and speed up their recovery.
Note! Each of the above complexes must be performed daily, otherwise the desired results will not be achieved.
The duration of sessions per day should be a total of about 40 minutes, and it is best to do the exercises during the period of subsidence of the underlying disease (remission). It is also worth remembering that if the disease worsens, this condition is not a reason to stop exercising. Exercises should be done, but only with less intensity, and those that do not cause discomfort.
Doctors note that properly selected exercises can not only strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the feet. This type of healing helps to effectively combat numbness in the feet, heel spurs and arthritis.
As it turns out, not only adults suffer from insufficient mobility; in our time, children are not at all as active as they should be. They run and jump a little and spend more and more time in a motionless sitting position.
Increasingly, children prefer computers and smartphones to outdoor games.
It's not just computers, game consoles and TVs that are to blame for this. Often parents themselves try to make child prodigies out of their children and, from a very young age, force them to sit quietly at the table and study the alphabet, learn to read and draw. All this has an extremely negative impact on their health.
Exercises for flat feet for children
Flat feet is an insidious disease that will have very negative consequences.
Flat feet in children
Proper formation of the foot affects all vital organs and systems of the body. Normally, a healthy foot should rest on three points: the heel, the head of the first and fifth toe bone.
Healthy baby feet
The foot becomes flat as a result of insufficient muscle development. Over time, bones begin to deform, developmental disorders of internal organs appear, treatment of the disease becomes much more difficult and can drag on for years.
Child with flat feet
Every parent should know a few very important things.
Method for determining flat feet
Plantogram assessment: a – normal foot; b – flattened foot; c – flat feet
If the foot does not function as a shock absorber while walking, then these functions fall on the spine and large joints.
It is important to take care of the child’s health and, if flat feet are detected, begin treatment immediately
As a consequence - scoliosis, herniated vertebral discs, osteochondrosis, arthrosis, etc. These negative changes remain for life.
Preventing a disease is much easier than treating it - this is an axiom. More than 95% of cases of flat feet are acquired developmental disorders. Physical activity and proper footwear for the child are of great importance.
Children's orthopedic shoes
In children's shoes, it is necessary to have an instep support; the heel needs to be high and hard. Immediately after detecting abnormalities in the development of the foot, you should buy therapeutic shoes with an increased heel height; you can purchase them only in specialized stores. The child should wear such shoes for as long as possible.
The presence of instep supports is a prerequisite.
Children should not wear soft felt boots, flip-flops and sandals with uncovered heels at the initial stage of the disease.
But the main prevention is the child’s activity, various outdoor games, running , etc.
At any age, massage has a positive effect - blood flow in the feet improves, muscles develop, and minor pain or fatigue is relieved.
Foot massage for children
If your child is nevertheless diagnosed with flat feet, then you should not be upset. Proper and timely treatment can completely restore the natural functions of the foot. Among the complex of additional measures, therapeutic exercises play a vital role.
What gymnastics are useful for flat feet?
It is better to carry out such gymnastics with small children in the form of games, reaching objects with your feet at speed, walking on a rolling pin, climbing stairs.
Sports corner for children
Over time, the exercises should become more complex and the training time should increase. Parents should encourage their child to bounce on their toes and heels and walk on the inside and outside of their feet. Such exercises contribute to the development of the entire muscle group.
Exercise - walking on toes
It is recommended to engage in direct therapeutic exercises for children over 5-6 years old; at this age they can do the exercises more consciously and correctly. It goes without saying that the optimal solution is that exercises should be fun, performed in the form of games. It is highly desirable that children study in groups, this will provide an opportunity not only to diversify the exercises, but also to make the classes attractive and fun for children.
Exercise therapy for flat feet in children
The correct combination of all the above conditions can guarantee that the problem with flat feet will be successfully solved and the further development of the child will not deviate from the physiological norm.
Of course, parents must coordinate all their actions with an orthopedist; only he can give professional advice on a set of motor exercises. Periodic visits to the attending physician are also considered mandatory; this will allow you to monitor the healing process, adjust the load and the chosen treatment method.
Examination by an orthopedist
You can work out with your child both at home and in therapeutic gymnastics rooms with special equipment and devices and game sports that ensure the formation of arch depth and strengthen the muscles of the foot. For all age groups of children, classes should include exercises that have both a special and general strengthening effect. Exercises should not cause pain or overtire children; the principle of gradually increasing the load must be observed. Periodic examination by a doctor is required.
Gymnastics for flat feet
It is much more productive to perform the exercise twice a day for no more than fifteen minutes than once for half an hour.
Orthopedic doctors are developing a special complex for different age groups; you must adhere to their recommendations and not try to speed up the recovery time by increasing the load or duration.
The load is selected taking into account the child’s physical capabilities; it is strictly forbidden to force the child to do the exercises by force. Parents should understand that the appearance of negative emotions has a negative impact on the treatment process; mental state plays a very important role. The number of repetitions should not exceed ten, the total duration of classes no more than 15 minutes.
Circular movements of the foot in both directions
Exercise to help strengthen your calf muscles
Half squat standing on toes
The following complex can be performed as a game. Try arranging a competition between the kids to see which of them can quickly remove various small objects (pens, pencils, pieces of paper, etc.) with their toes.
Child collecting small objects with toes
Try to draw with your toes, while resting you need to move/spread your toes.
At the end of the complex, let the children walk first on the inner and then on the outer surfaces of the feet. The duration of classes can be increased over time, the alternation can be changed, some of them can be repeated several times at short intervals. You can come up with movements yourself, the main thing is that during their execution various muscles of the foot are involved.
Loads can be increased, more complex movements can be used, and the number of repetitions can be increased to twenty.
Exercise therapy for flat feet
A set of exercises recommended for flat feet
Foot massage mat
When treating flat feet, the main thing is not the duration of the exercises, but their regularity. You cannot stop exercising immediately after minor improvements appear; the positive results achieved need to be consolidated. Parents must understand that only joint efforts with doctors, perseverance and a desire to take care of their children can guarantee the success of treatment.
Walking barefoot on the beans has been very positive.
Place it on the floor and let the child stand on it for a while, shifting from foot to foot. If it hurts, you can do the exercise with each leg in turn. Minor painful stimulation with simultaneous impact on biologically active points causes contraction of all the muscles of the foot, which leads to their strengthening.
No beans - buy special mats at the store and let the child study on them.
The effect is almost the same, but beans are much more interesting for the child, and this is an important factor. The same exercises can be done with buckwheat. Smaller grains affect more active points. It is advisable to alternate beans with buckwheat, this will help improve the therapeutic effect of treatment and prevention.
Chestnut massage mat
You need to understand for what purposes and when orthopedic shoes and insoles are prescribed. Insoles help elevate the foot and restore its arch. But they cannot increase muscle tone, and this is the main cause of flat feet. You should not have hopes that only with their help can the disease be cured; on the contrary, long-term wearing of special devices takes the load off the foot muscles and they begin to atrophy.
Orthopedic insert for children
The insole is selected strictly according to the child’s foot; you need to bring his shoes to the store. The instep height is developed by doctors for each age separately; parents must indicate for which child the insole is needed. In addition, the seller must be presented with a doctor’s diagnosis; taking into account the characteristics of the child and his actual condition, an individual selection is made. Heel pads, pilots and orthopedic insoles are considered medical devices; self-medication can aggravate the course of the disease.
Walk with your children more often
During an examination of urban children, it is discovered that 99% of them have one degree or another of flat feet; the pathology is considered a disease of the century. For your information, heredity plays a minimal role; parents themselves cripple their children through wrong actions and upbringing.
Engage in prevention and timely treatment of flat feet