Flat feet can be very unsettling for a parent of a developing child. What most people don’t know is that most 2 year olds have flat feet. Additionally, the majority of kids do develop an arch by the time they reach 10 years of age… When should you, as a parent, starting worrying about your child’s flat feet? Many children who have flat feet have no pain or limitations, and go on to play sports without pain or instability. This said, kids should NOT have pain.
Signs to watch for, that warrant further evaluation:
- If at any age your child starts complaining of pain in their feet and/or ankles
- Cramping, and fatigue of their feet and legs – often occurring at night
- Frequent tripping, falls
- Wearing shoes out abnormally fast
- Inability to “keep up” with their classmates, and friends of similar age
There are many conservative treatment options available to help your child with symptomatic flat feet - including physical therapy and over-the-counter or custom orthotics dispensed by a podiatric physician. Can you buy inserts at the drug store? Yes, you can always try the drug store inserts first, but the orthotics dispensed by foot and ankle specialists are often very different than the traditional “Dr. Scholl’s” insert.
Very rarely is surgical correction necessary, and should only be considered when conservative treatments are fully exhausted, without improvement.
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