Common Foot Problems in Children
What
Causes Foot Problems in Children?
There are many reasons why
children manifest foot problems. It could be due to a problem faced by the
fetus when it was in the uterus. It could occur due to a congenital anomaly.
Or, it could be hereditary. Children could be born with an anomaly or it could
manifest as soon as they start toddling.
Some
Common Foot Problems in Children
Club
Foot
– A baby born with this condition will have feet that appear to have been
rotated internally at the ankle. The feet could look misshapen. If this is
detected at birth, it can be corrected immediately. Sometimes, the problem may
not become apparent till the baby starts walking. In that case, special braces
and physical therapy would be needed.
Bow
Legs
– This is the term used when the legs curve outward while walking. When
children start toddling, their legs are usually bowed for a while and then they
will straighten out. If it doesn’t straighten out when they are older and if it
causes pain, treatment may be necessary.
Knock
Knees – This is a knee misalignment where the child’s knees scrape
against one another as he/she walks. The feet and ankles stay apart. Over time,
if it isn’t corrected, it could lead to pain and posture problems.
In-toeing –
This is also called pigeon toes. Toddlers could start walking unsteadily, in
the beginning, with their toes turned inwards. This usually evens out as the
legs lengthen and get stronger. If it doesn’t, it would need to be corrected.
Out-toeing –
When the opposite of pigeon toes occurs, the toes are turned outwards when the
child starts walking. It should self-correct by the time the child is around
six. If it doesn’t, the child will balance the body differently causing posture
problems.
FlatFeet
– Flat feet occurs when the arches of the feet don’t develop properly. Usually
toddlers don’t have arches and their feet look flat footed when they start
walking. But over time, the arch develops and the flat feet disappears. If it
doesn’t, treatment should be sought.
When
to See A Podiatrist
Most childhood foot
problems will self-correct as the child grows. If it doesn’t, it is better to
get it checked by a podiatrist. If detected in time, orthotics and physical
therapy can be used to rectify the problem and surgery can be avoided.
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