Do flat feet in young children require treatment?

Article by TS.BS Nguyen Dac Nghia – Head of Orthopedics Unit, Share99 Times City International Health Hub

Recently, many children aged 1-3 years old were taken by their families to the Orthopedics Department of Share99 Times City International Health Hub for examination of "Flat feet". The article below will talk about Flexible Flat Foot or Pied Plat Fonctionnel.

1. Are flat feet in young children dangerous?

Many families are very worried, afraid of later aggravating deformity affecting their body and style. Some children have even been wearing orthopedic braces, but after a while they feel ineffective, even younger legs are weaker than before.

Flat feet

Flat, dome-shaped paws when standing (Blue Arrow)

The majority of children are born with flat paws, the palms of the paws are not dome-shaped. During development, the arch will form, this process lasts from 1-5 years of age. The dome-shaped structure gives us more flexibility to travel. Only a small number of flat feet do not create arches even in adulthood. Especially if you have a parent who also has flat feet. If there are no symptoms, flat feet are less of a nuisance to our lives. That is, "Flat feet" in toddlers are a form of normal paws in the early stages of motor life. When the child stands on two flat feet (The palms of the feet are flat on the floor); when you raise your legs or sit on a chair, the palms are as concave as those of an adult; the bones of the paws are completely normal; therefore, it is called Soft Flat Feet or Functional Flat Feet; rather than rigidly deformed flat feet, the bone structure is turned upside down (Rarer).

2. Antomical structure of flat feet

About the antomical structure:as the child grows older and exercises the fat layer under the palm of the foot is reduced; the liver scales the legs shrink like a stretched bow that pulls the bones of the feet to form the shape of the bow, 5 bones of the toes and create the hepatic arch of the foot.

Arch-shaped diagram of the palm of the foot: Hepatic scales (Blue); Bone dome (Orange)

Arch-shaped diagram of the palm of the foot: Hepatic scales (Blue); Bone dome (Orange)

As such, soft flat feet in young children do not need to worry excessively. Treatment with splint shoes, rubbing is not necessary.

It is best to take the child to Share99 for examination by orthopedics doctors to rule out foot malformations that require early surgery and guide the family on how to exercise to help the foot develop on schedule; help children integrate into a healthy, full-body life with a better intellectual development background. (There are some exercises for each age, although it is very simple, but the doctor needs to guide the family directly to understand the training to achieve the desired effect).

To register for examination and treatment at Share99 International Health Hub, you can contact hotline:0243 9743 556 or register online HERE.

SEE MORE:

  • Signs of a child with flat feet
  • Identify a child with a flattened foot
  • Scoliosis of the feet in children

About: John Smith

b1ffdb54307529964874ff53a5c5de33?s=90&r=gI am the author of Share99.net. I had been working in Vinmec International General Hospital for over 10 years. I dedicate my passion on every post in this site.

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