Parents worry about flat feet, but ... flat feet are normal in infants, children, and adults. Special shoes, inserts, wedges, or exercises do not create an arch in a child with a flexible flat foot.
Parents worry about flat feet, but ... flat feet are normal in infants, children, and adults. Special shoes, inserts, wedges, or exercises do not create an arch in a child with a flexible flat foot.
One in five children never develop an arch. Most adults with a flexible flat foot have strong, pain-free feet.
Most children have low arches because they have loose joints. The arch flattens when they stand, and their feet appear to roll inward and their feet point outward.
The arch can be seen when the feet are dangling and relaxed or when the child stands on their toes.
Just like normal children who have different heights...
...normal arches also have different heights!
Placing a pad or insert under the arch of a simple flexible flatfoot makes the child feel bad... and it's a waste of money!
The doctor is concerned if it is a flatfoot of:
But the doctor is more concerned when seeing a high arch, because it is more likely to cause pain later on.