What are Flat Feet?
FLAT FEET is the broad term used to describe a low arch profile. A Flat Foot appearance presents as either a flexible or rigid form. When Flat Feet are flexible your child’s arch will flatten out when weight bearing and lower to the floor. Remarkably, the arch will appear to have a normal contour in non-weight bearing. FLEXIBLE FLAT FEET respond well to strengthening programmes.
A RIGID FLAT FOOT will remain consistently flat looking with or without load.
The "TIP TOE" TEST is used to see if an arc in the arch area forms as a child with flat feet rises to their toes. If you can see an arch then your child has a flexible flat foot. If the foot remains flat without an arch this is a rigid flat foot. Rigid flat feet should always seek consultation with a Podiatrist as there may be boney fusions and its important to determine cause.
Should Kids with Flexible Flat Feet wear orthotic insoles?
As Parents, we all want our kids to have strong healthy feet so they can run around and enjoy their childhood without pain.
Flexible flat feet are most commonly due to:
HYPERMOBILITY: super lax ligaments that hold bones together move too far on weight bearing and allow arch to drop.
OVER-PRONATION- this will look like the foot and ankle roll inwards too much and creates a flat foot appearance.
GENETIC POSITION: your child's feet are a replica of a family member.
CULTURAL POSTURE: Certain ethnicities are more prone to flat foot profile.
NEUROLOGICAL PATHOLOGIES: Some children present with systemic reasons. Those with a diagnosis Ehlers Danlos syndrome or Multiple Joint Hypermobility syndrome will commonly have flat feet. (These cases should see a Podiatrist)
*The inside of the foot and ankle is where many tendons enter in order to join the leg muscles into the foot. This forms an axis for the foot and ankle to work around. In flat feet this is a much larger axis for the muscles and tendons to action about due to the inward rolling of the subtalar joint.
PARENT CHECKLIST
Does my child complain when they are walking? This can come in the form of “my legs are tired”, “I have sore feet”; if your child is unable to keep up with their peers in the playground, or even refusal to do sports or activities. All kids express pain in different ways, sometimes we need to put on our detective’s hat and look deeper into whether or not their behavior is the result of pain.
How much physical activity is my child doing? When the amount of exercise increases, some children that have flat feet may get sore legs and feet. When kids jump and run they put 3 to 5 times the normal force through their feet. When muscle tissue in their feet and legs don’t adapt well to this extra load, their feet can become sore and inflamed. You may notice rolling in of the feet and legs which is common postural change that happens over flat feet. Orthotic insoles can help the action of the foot and how it absorbs load.
Genetic mapping is a thing!: Check out their feet and see if they look like yours or their other biological parent. If they do, think about your experience growing up and whether your flat feet needed orthotic support. Do you have sore feet or knees now? What was your level of activity and exercise compared with that of your child? In these cases, some parents will chose to prevent possible pathologies (pain) with the inclusion of Orthotics in shoes.
What age is my child? When our little ones first start walking their feet look like flat little pillows and have a big fatty pad cushioning the arch. Much of the foot’s bone mass still needs to mature and appearances can be deceiving. At this stage of growth orthotics are generally not warranted. By the time our child hits 3 years they are beginning to get a more normal gait pattern and introduce a heel strike. Parents can adapt the same guidelines as the above questions at this stage.
Postural concerns- Your child’s overall body posture looks stooped and l poor over their feet. Flat feet may affect the rest of the lower limb posture in some kids due to the biotensegrity of fascial and muscles around joints. This is not the case for every child with flat feet.
+ Strengthen + Support
+ Strengthen + Support
“Orthotic support is only 1 part of a Holistic approach towards helping Flat feet Kids. Using them alongside a strengthening program is BEST PRACTICE for long term improvement.”
Dr. Stacey Keating (Podiatrist)
“Made for Everyday Active Kids”
Dr. Stacey (Podiatrist) includes this exercise program free alongside your purchase of the Kidzoles toolkit. Please use the button provided above to purchase.