Flat Feet In Youth: Main Symptoms And Treatment With Orthotic Shoe Insoles
Flat feet in children is often hard to detect when they are first born, since baby fat often hides the true shape of the foot. As months go by and as the child starts walking, the situation becomes more noticeable. As the child gets older, a normal arch should appear between the ages of four and six, commonly being developed by walking barefoot on bumpy terrain. This develops tendons, muscles, and ligaments. If a normal arch does not appear during this stage of development, then it may be necessary to look into the use of foot arch supports to keep lower body or back health conditions from occurring into adolescence and adulthood.
You can test whether an arch is developing is by using a wet blotter. With this technique, you create a footprint of your childs damp foot on colored paper. Then you check whether the foot arch leaves a noticeable gap. It is also possible to do this on a beach, or in a sandbox by observing the footprint, though the test with the blotter is much more revealing. Another symptom of flat feet is when the child complains about aches to his or her calf muscles or ankles after walking for a period of time, as flat feet in children can cause extra strain on calves and ankles to counteract the deficiency of foot arches. In some cases, a youngster may walk on the outer edges of his feet, and this is often confused with bowleggedness, when in reality it is a consequence of over-pronation caused by flat feet.
The excessive rolling inwards of the ankles and feet, also known as pronation, and resulting collapse of the arches- is found in up to 70% of the population. Over a period of time, over-pronation in addition to foot pain will also cause back problems, and also leg problems. Many people do not comprehend how correct foot, leg and back alignment are associated, and it is imperative to take care of any foot problems such as flat feet during childhood to prevent further damage to other lower body parts.
It is advisable to identify flat feet during childhood as soon as possible to prevent ensuing complications later in life. It is possible for adults of any age to develop flat fee, though in many cases it is considered as a normal part of aging,. Flat feet may be caused for reasons such as illness, injury, or pregnancy, and can be temporary or permanent, depending on the reason. Being overweight can also cause flat feet in children or adults.
Foot disorders such as flat feet during childhood can be corrected to prevent serious complications like plantar fascia pain and avoid damage to other lower body parts. A good measure of prevention is through the use of foot arch supports. A foot specialist (podiatrist) should be able to investigate the symptoms and suggest suitable treatment, which could include foot arch supports or foot exercises, according to your particular situation. In many cases, off-the-shelf foot arch supports products available at retail stores or on the Internet, can produce excellent results, precluding the need for high-priced custom-made orthotic shoe insoles or other aids available via prescription.
The most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to flat feet during childhood is that early detection can prevent many serious problems to other body parts such as the knees and lower back later in life. It is easy to treat flat feet during childhood through readily available and affordable foot arch supports.
According to foot health researcher Fred Salomon, using appropriate footwear can eliminate many types of foot pain. The specially designed orthotic insoles from Footminders are useful for preventing over-pronation and provide heel cushioning to reduce impact while providing heel stability, thereby reducing foot pain. You can find more information and treatment for many types of foot pain at www.footminders.com.
