How to correct flat feet

Don’t let your child’s flat feet get you
down; the condition can be corrected,
if treated early by a foot specialist.

“I see it all the time,” says
podiatrist Dr. Jeffrey Cowen, from
the JD Cowen Foot & Ankle Clinic in
Toronto. “Mechanical foot problems
are the reason 50 percent of parents
bring their kids to see me. Eighty
percent of these kids have flat feet.”

Typically hereditary, a flat foot
means the foot is unstable and has
a collapsed arch. If left untreated
over time, it can cause the leg to
rotate inward. This can lead to joints,
muscles, tendons and ligaments
becoming strained and overworked,
which can, in turn, lead to lower back
and knee problems.

Catch it early

In infancy, it’s normal for babies
to have flat feet, says Dr. Cowen.
“But from the time they learn to
walk until age 10, the foot and ankle
bones are developing and the arch is
forming. In normal development, the
foot grows bigger after age 10 but the
structure is formed.”

That’s why foot specialists can
correct the condition more effectively
if caught early, starting at age three.
The trick, he says, is knowing what
to look for so you can treat it from the
beginning.

“Typically, two- to five-year-olds
won’t complain of pain, but they
might rub their leg or shin area,
as these muscles control the foot,”
says Dr. Cowen. “Parents should
observe whether their children are
also walking atypically, if they are
unstable when they walk or run or
if their shoes are wearing out in a
strange pattern.”

As kids get older, they will weigh
more, perhaps be involved in more
organized sports, and symptoms
such as discomfort may occur. At this
age, kids will be able to complain of
foot or leg pain, so you will know to
take them to a foot specialist right
away.

Simple diagnosis

You can always start with a
referral from a family doctor, but
pediatricians don’t typically look
for flat feet. You can also look for a
licensed podiatrist. Here’s what your
foot specialist will do:

• Watch your child walk
• Feel your child’s leg and foot with
  their hands
• Check their shoes
• Measure how your child walks with
  an electronic gait system (this is for
  older kids, aged nine and up). This
  test requires children to walk back
  and forth in a straight line a number
  of times.

Treatment options

• Depending on
  the severity of flat
  footedness, your
  foot specialist
  may recommend
  a progressive
  series of corrective
  treatments.
• In younger kids,
  parents will be
  asked to ensure
  their child avoids
  going barefoot on
  hard surfaces, such
  as wood, concrete
  or tile.
• Your podiatrist
  will recommend
  buying kids
  footwear that has
  Velcro, rubber soles
  and a firm heel
  counter (hard back)
  to ensure proper
  support. Dr. Cowen
  recommends Geox,
  Asics and New
  Balance.
• In some cases, a
  pediatric orthotic
  will be created. This
  is a personalized,
  molded support
  made in a lab that
  is designed to keep
  feet in the perfect
  position, keeping
  the foot, knee and
  back properly
  aligned.
• “Kids always
  adapt to these
  simple treatments,
  so the earlier we
  see kids the better,”
  says Dr. Cowen.
  He recommends
  checking in with
  your podiatrist
  every year to make
  sure the treatment
  is appropriate as
  your child’s food
  develops and
  strengthens over
  the years. “It’s
  important that we
  follow them along.”

Originally published in ParentsCanada magazine, August/September 2013.