Flattening in children: treatment and prevention

At present, flat feet is one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system in children. By this concept is meant the deformation of the foot, at which its vault is flattened. Since the child may have a transverse or longitudinal arch of the foot, the flat feet are similar. Flattening in children is defined in preschool age, approximately in 5-6 years. Before this age, it is very difficult to obtain data, since the foot still continues to form. Many parents start to sound the alarm when the child is not even 2-3 years old. The pediatric foot and the truth at this age is flat, but this is only because the recess of the arch of the foot is filled with a soft fat pad. If the development will go fine, but by 5-6 years, this pillow will disappear, and the foot will get the right shape. \

It is worth noting that flat feet in children is acquired and congenital. Most often the cause of congenital platypodia is heredity, if one of the relatives already has or had such a disease. The reasons for the acquired flat feet may be the following:

• Incorrectly selected shoes: without a small heel, too narrow or on the contrary wide.

• Great load on children's feet. For example, a child has excess weight or lifts weights.

• Very flexible joints (hypermobility).

• Propensity or presence of rickets.

• Traumas of the feet (fractures, dislocations, cuts).

What is so dangerous platypodia in children? Many parents are not fully aware of the seriousness of this disease. At first, they generally do not notice such a defect, and after learning, do not immediately begin to treat it. In fact, flat feet can lead to far more serious consequences. It can provoke the development of arthrosis and scaly (spinal cord). This is due to the fact that the load on the foot is distributed unevenly, and there is almost no depreciation.

Treatment of flat feet in children is a long and complex process. Day to day training should occur. To do this, use special exercises. If this is not done, the muscles will be weakened further and will not be able to support the foot in a raised state. Flat feet in children are treated with the help of physiotherapy exercises, also manual therapy and a special massage. It is also used medicamentous treatment, but it is extremely rare, since the medications themselves have a large number of side effects, and they do not clean up the cause of the disease and can even exacerbate it. During courses of manual therapy and massage muscles are strengthened, the arch of the foot is tightened and improves its blood supply. In order to cure platypodia in children, the doctor necessarily appoints wearing special shoes or using orthopedic insoles. Also during treatment, the child should be reduced motor and physical activity: for example, you can not go in for sports, attend ballet lessons and lift heavy objects. You can also make foot baths, make a child walk barefoot on an uneven surface, roll round objects with round feet. In the most severe cases, plaster langettes are used to treat flatfoot. They make unloading stops and give them the right shape.

Prophylaxis of flat feet in children can help to avoid this disease. To do this, parents should buy the right baby shoes on a small heel and be sure to size. Also it is necessary to give stops to rest - the child should walk barefoot for a while. Warn the appearance of this disease can be walking barefoot on a hard or rough surface, performing a foot massage and various exercises using gymnastic equipment. A small child should also avoid excessive loads in the form of lifting weights and doing heavy sports.