Is it Normal for a Toddler to Have Flat Feet?

Every parent that has a painful flat foot is afraid that their child might inherit their foot type. It is normal for a child's foot to appear flat up to about the age of 2 due to a thick layer of baby fat that fills the arch area. As long as the child is otherwise healthy, and the foot is flexible and free of pain, then no treatment is necessary even if you think it may look "too flat" to be normal. Many times they actually inherited your spouses or grandparent's feet and got lucky!!

A child's arch becomes much more obvious around the age of 3 when that baby fat pad disappears. At this age it is still normal to see a "low" arch when standing, but their foot should have a good arch when sitting or lying down.

When a child has a severe flat foot, you will usually notice not only a low arch but an inward bowing of the inside of their ankle and their Achilles tendon. They look like they have a nice arch when non-weight bearing but it completely flattens out when standing. This is usually a flexible developmental flat foot and can lead to postural complaints, "growing pains" and poor muscle development.

In rare cases, some children are actually born with a malformation of the ankle bone that causes a rigid flat foot with the appearance of a "rocker-bottom" foot. These are usually evident within the first few months of life with a rigid foot.

If you are worried that your child has an inherited flat foot or is complaining  of foot and leg pain; time to visit the podiatrists at FAANT for an opinion. Contrary to popular belief, foot and leg pain in children is never normal; and most kids will not grow out of flat feet! There are simple changes in shoe gear and inserts as well as physcial therapy that may help your child run, jump and play with their friends without pain!

Is Your Child Hiding Their Foot Pain?

Children often hide their foot pain. Is your child having this conversation in the locker room with their friends? Ask them! Relief for childhood foot pain is right around the corner at Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas in Grapevine, TX. For more go to www.faant.com or call (817)416-6155. Listen in on this conversation.....

“Mom, My Heels Hurt!”

It is that time of year again. Returning to school and those extra curricular activities. Kids are excited about sports and band practice, but this sudden increase in activity can cause them to have heel pain. Pediatric heel pain is nothing to ignore. It is not your typical adult heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis and will not go away with advil alone. It can be excruciating for some children to the point they cannot walk. So what is it really and why does it happen?

Calcaneal apophysitis is the medical term for inflammation of the growth plate in the heel caused by the pull of the plantar fascia below it and the Achilles tendon above it. As we grow, the bones in the legs get longer, but the muscles and tendons have to stretch to grow with them. If these structures are tight and have not reached the same length as the bones, then they pull much harder on the growth plates. This causes significant pain that usually occurs after activity and improves with rest. Other symptoms including swelling of the heels, pain with pressure and increased warmth.

Treating pediatric heel pain early is important. In our office, youf child will be fully evaluated including xrays to make sure that the growth plate is normal and the pain is not caused from other reasons like a stress fracture. Rest, ice and stretching are key factors in treating heel pain in children. Appropriate shoe gear, orthotics and physical therapy will also improve their pain and reduce recurrence. In severe cases, complete immobilization may be necessary.

If your child is complaining of heel pain, don’t ignore it. This pain can prevent them from participating in the activities they enjoy. At Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas, we are here to get your children back in the game.