Flat feet in children: signs, degree, treatment, prevention. How to fix the longitudinal and transverse flat feet in a preschool child?

To learn more about flat feet in children - read the article. In it you will find information about the degrees of this pathology, signs and how to treat it with various methods.

If in childhood to carefully examine the foot of the child, then you can notice that it is flat. Although visually it is exactly similar to the leg of an adult, only smaller. For babies, this shape of the leg is considered the norm. Do not immediately think that the baby has pathology.

The arches of the legs of crumbs almost always have a fat pillow. She disappears with time when the baby begins to actively move, or rather, walk, run. But it happens that the child is diagnosed - flat feet. No need to despair - this is treated. Further more about the recovery process.

1, 2, 3 degrees flatfoot - photo

There are several types and degrees of flat feet in babies, schoolchildren.

Flat feet in the child. What are the degree of flat feet?

The reasons for the development of flat feet, in addition to early childhood, can be:

• The presence of excess weight in the child
• Lack of vitamins, more specifically vitamin D. Due to its lack of rickets and flat feet develop
• Unknown shoes
• Polio
• Clothing, injuries
• Paralysis of the legs

Flat feet in children. The reasons

Flat feet are of two groups longitudinal, transverse. These groups, in turn, have various degree pathology.

What are the degrees of longitudinal flat feet?

• First - The smallest. After long walking distances, feet begin to hurt. Visually, the angle of the arch of both feet is 132-140º, and its height is 24-35 millimeters
• The second -Again, when going on long distances, the patient feels heaviness, pain. The angle of the arch is 141-154º, and the height of this arch is 17-25 millimeters. Doctors with flat feet do not recommend breeding toes when walking should be diluted (stepped straight)
• Third - Already has visible changes. Sometimes surgeons in severe cases recommend conducting surgery due to pain. The angle of the arch with this deformation is more than 155º, the height is less than 17 millimeters

Three degrees of flat feet in children

Transverse and longitudinal flat feet

The human foot consists of two main arches. It is logical that there are two types of flat feet: transverse,  longitudinal, flat-valgus. If the arch decreases, then the footprint increases. You should not yet, and forget about the third form of flat feet - combined. It is also called longitudinal-transverse.

Types of flat feet in children

What are the degrees of longitudinal flat feet, we mentioned above. Transverse is rarely in children, basically it manifests itself at a later age. However, there are exceptions.

Degree of transverse flat feet, characteristics:

• The first degree - characterized by a small seal of the transverse arch of the foot and an inconspicuous decrease in the trace. The angle between the first or second plus bone is 10-13 degrees
• The second degree- It is characteristic of pain under the heads of 2.3.4 plus bone. It is in their zone that corns subsequently formed. The angle between the first two metatarsal bones increases to 15 degrees
• The third degree - It is manifested by pain under all metatarsal bones, where corns grow as a result. The angle between the metatarsal bones is 20 degrees

Longitudinal and transverse flat feet in children

Valgus flatfoot in children

Valgus flatfoot - doctors make such a diagnosis if the child has a low arrangement of the arches of the feet and there is a curvature of their axis. Visually, with this type of pathology, the fingers “look” outward, and the axis of the legs, as it were, is littered inside. It turns out the letter "x" from a number of set feet.

Valgus flatfoot in the child

The success of the treatment of flat-valgus flat feet depends on the degree of its neglect, source of occurrence. The following classes will be effective for correcting the feet of the child:

• Swedish ladder training
• War massage with ordinary wooden accounts
• Walking barefoot on sand, pebbles, grass
• Therapeutic preventive gymnastics, ordinary massage of the baby's foot

How to do the right foot massage to a child with flat feet?

IMPORTANT: Gymnastics for preschoolers is best performed in the form of a game. Otherwise, the child may simply refuse to perform exercises.

How to check in a child flatfoot: signs

Diagnosis of pathology is carried out either at home or at a specialist doctor. At home, it is enough to smear the foot of your baby with any fat cream and ask the child to become exactly on a white sheet of paper. By printing the legs, you can establish whether your child has flat feet or not.

How to determine flat feet in a child at home?

Signs of flat feet:

• Fast fatigue of the legs when walking
• Unpleasant feeling of severity, swelling of the lower extremities
• Strongly worn shoes
• Feet deformation
• Pain even from prolonged standing
• Deviation of the thumb of the child outward

Signs of flat feet in children

Does the treatment of flat feet differ in children 2, 3, 4, 5 years old from the treatment of flat feet in 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 years?

The full cure of the child from flat feet is possible only up to six to seven years.

What is the difference between flat feet in preschoolers and schoolchildren?

Treatment in babies is practically the same as in older children. The only thing for schoolchildren is shown a certain range of measures that they systematically perform. And kids are treated in a playful way.

Massage procedures are selected according to the patient's age. Starting from the school period, doctors can prescribe a course of treatment for the child with the following physiotherapy:

• UVT (shocking wave therapy)
• Applications with paraffin and ozokerite
• Electrophoresis

Treatment of flat feet in children with an orthopedic rug

Massage rugs are very effective for removing voltage and treatment of flat feet. Thanks to their use, your child will improve:

1. The condition of the arches of the feet
2. The muscles of the legs on the sole will become more trained
3. The flow of blood to the foot normalizes

Treatment of flat feet in children with massage rugs

Stop massage with flat feet: photo and video

With the deformation of the foot, not only the lower extremities will be massage, but the massage procedure should also be carried out:

• lumbar department, buttocks
• calf muscles

Massage for children with flat feet

To perform massage, use the following equipment:

• Make circular movements only clockwise
• Massage movements perform from the bottom up
• Alternate ironing with another massage technique
• Perform movements carefully so that there is no pain

Massage technique for the baby with flat feet

Video: How to do massage for flat feet?

What orthopedic shoes do the child need with flat feet?

Shoes for the child, if he has flat feet, must correspond to the following parameters:

• for manufacturing it, only natural raw materials must be used
• toe of shoes, boots, shoes are better to choose a wide
• the sole should not be made of solid materials, only a flexible base is suitable
• shoes cannot be strongly free, tight -fitting backs are necessary
• a small rise is required (about one and a half to three cm)

Convenient orthopedic shoes for the baby

Orthopedic insoles for flat feet for children

Orthopedic insoles-Supinators support and do not allow to develop and further flat feet in babies, preschoolers. Such substrates in shoes are best done individually, because each patient can have various groups and degree of flat feet.

Insoles for children with flat feet

Prevention of flat feet in children

Of course, it is better not to treat already developing flat feet, it is more effective to take pre -preventive measures.

In addition to wearing comfortable shoes, it is necessary to practice walking barefoot on sand, uneven soil, soft, juicy grass, sea pebbles. To be mobile, do not lead a sedentary lifestyle, make gymnastics to form strong muscles on the foot and ligamentous apparatus.

Prevention of flat feet in preschool children

Flat feet in children - Komarovsky

According to the doctor of the Komarovsky foot (more precisely, the vault) of children is completely formed by eight to two years of age. Prior to this, the child may have deviations from the proper development of the vault. Flat feet after this age develops mainly due to low mobility.

Dr. Komarovsky about the development of flat feet in children

Exercises and physiotherapy exercises for flat feet: photo and video

Exercises for flat feet are selected individually by each child by an orthopedic doctor. They may vary, but the bulk of such gymnastics comes down to the following complexes:

• Movement on the heels
• Alternately walking on the inner parts of the feet, then on external
• Putting the legs of various objects from the floor
• Drawing with the fingers of the legs on the sheet
• Circular and other rotations of the feet in the lying or sitting
• Bending, extension of the stop

Therapeutic gymnastics for correction of flat feet

Below you can see examples of exercises in the video for children

Video - gymnastics for flat feet