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By Dr. Kuvent, December 23, 2010 9:19 am

If you think your flat-footed child could soon be at a disadvantage when it comes to keeping up with their peers in sports, think again. Children’s flatfoot is a very common concern among parents and is therefore a fairly regular reason for trips to the pediatrician. Treatment guidelines for children with flat feet happens to be a topic of hot debate in the medical community. While most parents want something done for their child, it is not always necessary. Many unknowing practitioners simply prescribe orthotics and arch supports, figuring since the child has a flattened arch they must need some form of support. Often times in the realm of pediatrics, part of practicing good medicine is knowing how to effectively work with worried parents in order to shed light on slightly hazy (but not crazy) concerns. Continue reading 'Feet Flat as a Board – Not Necessarily a Problem'»

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By Dr. Kuvent, August 3, 2010 8:25 am

Do your footprints look different than everyone else’s at the beach? If so, chances are you could be a flatfooted individual.

Having flat feet is a common condition involving a collapsed arch, which allows the entire bottom of your foot to come in contact with the ground. There are many various causes of flat feet.

First off, flat feet are normal in infants and toddlers because the arch has not fully developed, so don’t be alarmed if you’re a new parent or grandparent and you happen to notice those precious little feet are flat as a board. The arches will likely develop sometime in childhood and by early adulthood, your little Jack or Jill should have normal arches in their feet.

This being said, a person can be born with flat feet that won’t develop normal arches. The best explanation for this is the simple fact that everyone is different. Some people are tall, some are short; some people have long skinny fingers, others have short stubby ones, and the rest of us tend to fall somewhere in between. If you were born with flat feet, they may or may not cause problems later in your life.

If your child complains of painful feet and they appear to be flat footed, it may be caused by a condition in which two or more of the bones in the foot have fused together. This will limit the motion allowed within the joints of the feet, and often results in a flat foot or two.

Now, if you, like most little ones, had the “normal” flat foot when you were a baby, and then developed proper arches as you grew, there is still a chance you could develop flat feet. This condition, when developed later in life tends to cause pain and possibly other symptoms, such as developing arthritis in the feet. Unfortunately, there are many different factors that can contribute to the development of flat feet, and therefore it is nearly impossible to prevent. Some causes include the position in which a child sits or sleeps or having other various abnormalities in the leg or thigh. More severe causes include trauma to or rupture of ligaments or tendons in the foot. Two more common causes of acquired flat feet in adults are “Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction” (in which that particular tendon – the Posterior Tibial Tendon – malfunctions) and having a tight Achilles tendon (which causes the foot to flatten).

Your local Chandler podiatrist at Advanced Foot Care is experienced in treating flat feet both conservatively and surgically. If you have painful flat feet, don’t simply continue to walk down the beach with those funny looking footprints, call today for an appointment!