What causes flat feet in babies?

Flat feet, commonly known as flat feet, is a normal physiological phenomenon that all babies experience. It is not a disease, but it has a great impact on babies.

However, many new mothers feel uncomfortable when they see that their babies have flat feet. There is a folk saying that people with flat feet cannot walk fast and their shoes do not look good. If it is a woman, women with flat feet will feel foot pain when walking in high heels.

In fact, from a medical point of view, flat feet is a very normal phenomenon, and this kind of thinking in rural areas should be changed.

The arch of the foot is composed of the calcaneus, talus, navicular bone, cuneiform bone and metatarsal bones. It is formed on the one hand by skeletal development, and on the other hand by the natural strengthening and tightening of joint ligaments to support the entire arch of the foot. Therefore, when the ligaments of a young child are loose, the arch of the foot will become flatter when bearing weight. As the child grows older, the ligaments become tighter and the arch of the foot takes shape. This is a normal physiological development and does not require treatment or methods to accelerate development.

The ligaments are relatively loose during childhood, so three changes occur when the foot bears weight:

Type I elastic flat feet

The most common type is "elastic flat feet" caused by loose ligaments. It accounts for the vast majority of all flat feet and is a stage phenomenon in the development of children. Therefore, if your child has elastic flat feet, it is recommended to observe first and wait for the child's natural development. The arch of the foot will take shape as the child grows older.

Type II heel ligament tightness

Stretching exercises can improve the second type of flat feet, which is caused by tight Heel tendon ligaments. It often occurs in children who grow rapidly after the age of seven or eight. When these children walk, they will compensate for the tight Heel ligaments by deforming the foot joints. If the problem of tight heel ligament is not solved, secondary and compensatory flat feet will not be easy to improve, so wear corrective shoes to control the position of the hindfoot. It is recommended to do more rehabilitation exercises to stretch the muscles and bones, so that the length of muscles and tendons can catch up with the rapidly growing bones as soon as possible.

Type III: Patients with hindfoot joint restriction

The third type of flat feet that most needs treatment is an inelastic, fixed-shape flat foot. A quarter of these children will have foot symptoms or functional problems in the future. The most common reason is that the numerous small bones in the foot are not completely separated during development during the embryonic period, and there is still something sticking between the bones, resulting in limited range of motion in the hindfoot joints. This is a truly pathological flat foot that requires active treatment.

This flatfoot treatment method works for postural flatfoot and most spastic flatfoot cases. You can use physical therapy, massage, strengthen the internal and external muscle exercises of the foot, and wear flatfoot orthotic shoes or flatfoot insoles to correct it. But the focus should be on strengthening muscle strength training. Patients with spastic flatfoot should pay attention to rest. In severe cases, manual correction can be performed under anesthesia, and then the foot can be fixed in the inversion and adduction position with a calf plaster boot. After the symptoms disappear, wear flat foot orthotics and insoles again.

Healthy shoes should have the following elements:

1) There are different degrees of arch support to relieve arch fatigue and prevent flat foot sequelae;

2) A rigid heel cup to stabilize the calcaneus and control the extent of rearfoot eversion;

3) There are different sizes for the forefoot to prevent the forefoot from being too loose or too tight, increasing foot comfort;

4) The shaped midsole design helps stabilize the foot shape and enhances the support of the insole.

3. Choose shoes and socks with good warmth retention according to different situations

Such as cotton shoes and terry socks, which are warm and comfortable and very suitable for children to wear. However, sneakers, rubber shoes and leather shoes have poor thermal insulation performance, dissipate heat quickly, and can easily cause your feet to become frozen, so they are not suitable for wearing. The size of shoes and socks should be slightly larger, and there should be a slight gap between the foot and the shoe to facilitate air insulation and increase warmth.

4. Wash and dry your shoes and socks frequently

Children are active and their feet sweat easily, so it is best to put insoles in their shoes to absorb moisture and sweat and reduce heat dissipation. The shoes should also be changed and exposed to the sun frequently to ensure they are dry and warm. When your shoes and socks get wet in rainy or snowy weather, you should replace them in time.

5. Soak your child’s feet in hot water every night

Every night before going to bed, make sure to wash your child's feet with warm water and cover his or her feet after lying down. This can prevent children's feet from getting cold, which can not only prevent colds, but also help children fall asleep faster, which is also beneficial for improving sleep quality.

No matter your child has flat feet or arched feet, do not deliberately treat the child. Some parents may choose surgical correction, but this is unnecessary and also increases the mental burden on the child. The child will think that he is different from other children.