Childhood flat feet and prevention

Author Loránd Szabó | 2019.10.14.

The healthy development of children is a priority for all parents. Amongst many other things, preventing the development of flat feet can be an important issue, as with a little care, musculoskeletal problems can be avoided later, even in adulthood.

What is flat feet?

The foot arch is a flexible arch structure, a unit consisting of a longitudinal arch and a transverse arch, at any point of which the functional capacity of the foot is weakened. When this balance is upset, for example by overloading, deformities such as flat feet, which is the flattening of the longitudinal arches, can develop.

What can you do for flat feet and a healthy arch?

The muscles of the foot simply and even can be reinforced through play, for example by walking on uneven ground or even by drawing with your feet. Putting toys away can also be a fun developmental exercise if the task is done using only the toes.

It is recommended that you do these small exercises daily for about. 10 - 15 minutes with the child, to strengthen the muscles in the foot and ankle and to help the development of movement progress properly.

Flat feet in children

The first important thing to know is that all babies are born with flat feet, and the arches develop continuously until the age of 6 or 7. Therefore, until this age, we can hardly talk about flat feet, nor is a flat foot pad necessary. However, it is at this age that the most can be done to develop the child's foot muscles and ligaments so that the correct arch supports are formed and thus prevent flat feet.

What to look out for when choosing shoes?

Although shoe choice is a cardinal issue in children, it is not necessary for shoes under the age of 6 - 7 to have a longitudinal or instep lift to prevent flat feet. However, it is important that the shoe supports the heel well and that the sole is flexible and comfortable to wear.

Flatfoot testing and prevention

For flat feet, the childhood prevention is a key issue. Our specialist recommends that all parents should make sure that they one paediatric orthopaedic check-up per year, as any deformity in young children is easier to treat, and a foot examination can help to correct any deformity detected early.

Adult flat feet can cause a number of problems, as it upsets the musculoskeletal balance of the foot, which can lead to lower back pain, bunions, spurs and hammer toes. These are all painful and difficult-to-treat musculoskeletal complaints that make everyday life difficult, but with a little attention in childhood they could have been prevented.