It is not uncommon for many children to have flat feet during the course of their development. Some children will naturally develop a foot arch as their body continues to grow, while others will live pain free if their feet remain flat. Oftentimes parents consult orthopedic specialists if they feel that their child’s feet aren’t developing properly, which can help in the early detection of possible complications down the road. Below, we take a deeper look at “flatfeet” and discuss some treatment options.
Causes of Flatfeet
- Flatfeet can occur during the growth of a child through natural body developments.
- About 20% of the population suffers from flatfeet, although most individuals will have no symptoms.
- Tight calf muscles and tarsal coalition (abnormal bone growth) can also cause rigid or flexible flat feet.
- Flatfeet is usually a genetic condition.
Symptoms of Flatfeet
- A flattened foot arch that is accompanied by an outward splaying of the feet.
- General achiness in the foot, especially if the child is very active.
- A slight limp is present in some cases.
- Tightness in the calf.
- Pain in the inside region of the ankle and in the Achilles tendon.
Non-surgical treatment
As stated above, a large portion of people who suffer from flatfeet don’t exhibit any symptoms or experience foot pain. Of the people that do experience pain, most can be treated with non-surgical options. Your doctor will conduct what is known as a “jack test” to determine if you have flexible or rigid deformities in your feet. Flexible flatfeet is much more common than rigid flatfeet. Because flexible flatfeet is much more common, and because it is associated with a muscle issue as opposed to a bone issue, we’ll discuss treatment options for flexible flatfeet below.
- Calf stretching – Calf stretching is key to relieving tightness, which can cause pain in children who suffer from flatfeet. Parents should make sure their children stretch their calf and feet each day so the muscles can stretch out before physical activity. A good practice is to have your child stretch their legs, ankles and feet with some simple movements when they wake up each day.
- Activity Modification – Sometimes children can experience chronic foot discomfort because the muscles aren’t given ample time to heal. A short, 1-2 week period of limited physical or sporting activities can lead to decreased irritation in the foot and calf.
- Comfort shoes and shoe inserts – Your doctor may recommend new shoes or an orthopedic shoe insert to help alleviate some of the stress your child puts on their foot. Shoes with a slight heel can help stretch out the calf muscle as they move, and inserts can help lessen the pressure placed on the foot. Parents should consult a specialist about each option as prolonged arch support inserts can actually weaken muscles in the foot which can contribute to the symptoms of flatfeet.
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment of flexible flatfeet is rare, but it is an option if non-surgical options fail.
- Gastrocnemius recession – A gastrocnemius recession involves lengthening the tight portion of the Achilles tendon. This addresses the most common cause of flatfeet. This procedure will alleviate the pain, but it will not necessarily lead to the development of an arch in the foot, although it is possible that one may develop once the tendon is lengthened.
- Lateral lengthening – This procedure involves cutting into the calcaneus to lengthen the arch of the foot. It is usually preformed in conjunction with a gastrocnemius recession.
- Subtalar Arthroresis – This procedure is a little controversial as it involves placing a device in the foot to shift the heel bone and create an arch. Removal of the device is often required, but many patients develop an arch once the soft tissue heals.