Once you notice symptoms of flat feet in your children, immediately consult your healthcare provider. They can diagnose, assess their symptoms, and gauge the current posture of their arches when walking, standing, sitting, and doing any other physical activity. Their foot doctor or paediatric podiatrist may perform or run a few X-rays to check your child’s bone structure.
While wearing and investing in insoles for flat feet in Singapore can work well on young ones, parents must know more about the said condition. And although it is an ordinary development thing for children, it is still with the highest significance that you, as a parent, consult a doctor about the paediatric condition.
Here are a few questions about flat feetthat you may need to ask their doctor or podiatrist.
WHAT IS THE REASON MY CHILD HAVE FLAT FEET?
While most children can commonly develop flat feet at the age of four to five, there are also other factors that may cause them to grow. It can also be due to family or genetic reasons, passing down from your great grandparent to your mum or dad all the way down to you. The risk factors in adults are highly different from flat feet in children. It can grow due to ageing, diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, or a knee, leg, foot, or ankle injury.
In some cases, flat feet in children can come from another problem. Ask their healthcare provider what caused the flat feetin your child.
WHEN WILL FLAT FEET START CAUSING PROBLEMS?
If you notice your little one has flat feeteven after ages six to ten, it is highly advisable to seek medical attention for your child. Schedule a foot check-up with a paediatric podiatrist and mention everything to them. The paediatric foot specialist will assess the condition, from the arches to leg anatomy. They will help determine the symptoms concerning and causing the flat feet.
Some warning signs of flat feet in children may include:
1. Calf and ankle pain even with the slightest movement
2. Leg and foot exhaustion after every activity, strenuous or not
3. Walking weirdly, including the pace, style, and posture
4. Uneven level on the same shoe height
5. Persistent pain in the areas around the thighs, knees, legs, ankles, feet, all the way to the calves
6. Holding off physical activity due to pain
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR PAEDIATRIC FLAT FEET?
Although insoles for flat feetwork perfectly for helping children and adults with the condition, there are also other ways that will not require any treatment beyond surgery, including:
1. Arch supports can efficiently help flat feet in children, as these elevate the calves and ankles.
2. Supportive shoes for flat feet in children can also be advantageous. Consult their paediatric podiatrist to get a modified pair perfect for their flat feet arch.
3. Stretches on the Achilles tendon can also help the flat feet condition in children, alleviating knee and heel pain.
If you’re in dire need of consulting a podiatrist about insoles for flat feet in Singapore, you may contact East Coast Podiatry and consult their team of licensed doctors!