Flat feet in children
At certain ages flat feet are exactly what is expected. What matters is whether they hurt, whether they are flexible and whether they change.
All children are born with flat feet. The arch forms as they grow, and in most it appears over the first few years without anything needing to be done: flat feet at three is what is expected, and it does not mean the same as flat feet at eight. That is why the first question is not “are the feet flat?” but how old the child is, whether it hurts, whether the arch appears on tiptoes, and whether it has changed over time.
Those four things are what is assessed at the appointment. Flexible, painless flat feet that are changing need no treatment, only reviews to confirm they are following their course; and saying so matters as much as treating, because treating what does not need treating has a cost. When the foot is rigid, painful, tires sooner than others of the same age or is not changing, the assessment is different and then there is something to do.
What is assessed
- The child’s age, which is what makes sense of everything else.
- Whether the foot is flexible: whether the arch appears on tiptoes.
- Whether there is pain, early tiredness or reluctance to walk or run.
- How the heel loads and how the child walks.
- How it has changed since previous reviews.
Worried about your child’s arch, or does he or she complain when walking?
Book an appointment