One of the most frequent causes for parents of young children to take them to the pediatrician or orthopedist is concern over flat feet. Parents anxiety and concern for their children are further fueled by their worries about the long-term effects of dropped arches on health and by the fact that in the past, young men with lowered arches were exempt from military service.
The construction of the foot is a dynamic process that occurs during the child period of growth and development, and in this respect, it is distinguished by anatomical variances.
Flat feet
A foot whose arch is so low that it nearly touches the ground is referred to as a flat or fallen foot.
It frequently occurs when the heel is in a valgus posture. To uniformly distribute the weight of standing and walking over the heel, the outer part of the foot, to the front part of the foot, the medial arch of the foot is typically increased.
Congenital or acquired flat feet are also possible. In acquired cases, there is also a hereditary component, or predisposition, for its occurrence. Parents frequently carry their children instead of walking with them during the first few years of life when the arches are developing. As a result, the muscles in the feet are not sufficiently strong and give way under the child weight during the age of independent walking. Both youngsters who are obese and those who develop
quickly experience this. When flat feet are just one of the symptoms of the underlying disease, they may also be present in other ailments (cerebral palsy, neuromuscular diseases, hereditary syndromes, etc.).
When selecting appropriate footwear for young children, parents frequently struggle to find the right size that is appropriate for the childs activities.
Causes
Although there is no known cause, there are several possibilities:
The foots muscles are too frail to keep the arch in place.
All the childs joints, including the connective tissue in his or her feet, are loose. As a result of the joints enhanced mobility, the child can, for instance, touch his own forearm ith his thumb.
Bones expand during periods of rapid growth more quickly than muscles and tendons can contract. As a result of the muscles shortening, the muscles grasp on the bones is disrupted, which leads to the fallen foot.
Rarely, the cause is an abnormality in the structure of the foot bones and joints, meaning that the bones are fused and prevent the foot from moving normally. Such feet are typically uncomfortable. These feet have been lowered tightly.
Early signs and symptoms
Here, it is important to note that there are two variations of this ailment, the so-called rigid and flexible flat foot. In kids with flexible flat feet, the developed arch is noticeable when standing on the toes but disappears when the foot is rested fully. Contrarily, with a rigid shape, the foot is always in alignment whether the infant is standing on their toes or resting their weight on the entire sole.
If symptoms do manifest, they vary depending on the deformity type, and the kid typically complains of:
Leg, knee, and foot pain and cramping
Joint instability in the ankle
Running or walking awkwardly
They are unable to run for very long and prefer to walk.
They easily become exhausted and refrain from exercising
They have trouble putting on shoes.
How to recognize?
A dropped foot is easily recognized by its appearance and by doing the toe-up test.
The inside of the child foot should be totally or nearly completely attached to the ground when they are standing straight. The child Achilles heel is not flat but somewhat rounded in an outward arc, as can be seen if you look at the feet from the rear.
A straightforward test can tell you whether a youngster has foot drop. The fingertip lifting test is relatively simple to carry out, even with the smallest. Request that your child walk or stand on his tiptoes. By asking her to pretend to be a dancer or try to reach for a toy, you can make the test into a game. You can see the medial arch of the child lifted foot in full force when he stands up on his toes. You should not be concerned if the child foot arch reverts to an arch because this is a sign that they have a flexible dropping foot. Your child may have a more severe case of drop foot
if the medial arch elevation is not apparent.
Treatment
The signs of a lowered foot can be considerably reduced with orthopedic insoles. The insoles are created using the footprint as a guide. Orthopedic insoles, whose purpose is to support the arches of the feet, relieve the places of greatest pressure, and distribute the load uniformly, are an essential component of the prevention and cure of dropped feet. Orthopedic insoles can be
produced in a variety of ways, depending on the individuals preferences, the insoles intended use, the foot diagnosis, and the type of footwear being worn. Consequently, it is wise to get professional advice before selecting them.
The condition of the dropped foot can be fixed or corrected by a vast majority of people employing exercises.