CHILDREN FOOT DEFORMITY
CHILDREN FOOT DEFORMITY
Children's foot deformity usually appears when the child starts to take his first steps or a little bit later. Let’s have a look at different types of children's foot deformities.
Hallux valgus
Children's hallux valgus occurs when the distance between the inner ankles of straightened and tightly placed knees is more than 4-5 cm. This kind of curvature appears several months later after the child starts to take his first steps. This can be explained by the fact that the feet feel the whole body weight load, and the child’s weak muscles simply can’t cope with it. The main changes can be noticed in the child’s knees. If you look at the child sideways, you can see the deformation of the legs in the knee joints, in this area you can usually see the hyperextension of the legs. This disease is often called an X-shaped foot deformity when the foot axis is curved, the child's toes and heels are positioned upwards and overturn inward the gap of the foot between them. Besides, this foot deformity is recognized by the child's shoes, which usually immediately deform while wearing. If this disease isn’t treated, then in the future it can lead to spinal curvature, disorganized alignment of the hip joints, there may be knee and ankle joints’ deformations as well.
Treatment of children hallux valgus
The recovery period of the children hallux valgus is long. In order to treat such feet, doctors recommend the use of therapeutic massage and physical therapy, which help to strengthen the muscular-ligamentous apparatus of the foot and correct the deformity. Doctors necessarily prescribe wearing special shoes, which correct the child's incorrectly standing legs.
If you introduce physical therapy in a playful form, then you can painlessly and easily cope with the disease. If hallux valgus was diagnosed in the early stages, then you can use plenty of orthopedic devices, for example, instep supports, toe correctors, insoles, and stretchers. Massage, warm foot baths, and physiotherapy procedures have a pretty good effect in the case of hallux valgus. However, all these methods unfortunately can’t solve the main problem, which is a joint deformity. In order to correct it, surgical treatment is considered to be an effective method, which is aimed at correcting adverse changes. Besides, such treatment provides good aesthetic results.
Children varus foot deformity
Varus feet deformity is a disease that is regarded as the curvature of the foot arches and axis. The feet are positioned inwards, the load distribution is uneven, there is more load on the outer foot part. Varus feet position is similar to clubfoot, but you have to distinguish these diseases, because clubfoot is a congenital disease, and the varus feet usually develop in the first years of a child’s life when there is a conjunction of adverse circumstances and absence of prevention.
Varus deformity can develop due to:
- flat feet;
- compromised immune system (for example, due to earlier diseases);
- metabolic diseases (rachitis, etc.);
- endocrine diseases (diabetes, thyroid disorders etc.);
- skeletal system diseases;
- foot injuries;
- genetic predisposition.
Besides, the use of uncomfortable or incorrectly selected shoes can contribute to varus feet positioning, leading to the fact that the load is unevenly distributed on the feet, thus, deformation occurs.
Treatment of varus foot deformity
Varus foot deformity is treatable, but this is not a simple process. It’s recommended to start treatment as soon as possible because the chances of success increase depending on how early the diagnosis was made and how fast the foot deformity treatment was started. Treatment should be performed only by an experienced orthopedist. Traditional medicine can help reduce pain in the feet just for a while. Self-treatment is strictly prohibited! Treatment of the varus feet deformity is a long and very complicated process. When diagnosing the disease at an early stage of development, treatment consists of:
- exercise therapy aimed at strengthening muscles and correcting foot shape;
- physiotherapy procedures;
- use of orthopedic insoles, stretchers, instep supports, and correctors;
- complex leg massage, which includes massage of the gluteofemoral and lumbar regions, and massage of the back of the legs.
If there is no improvement in the case of conservative treatment, one needs operative treatment.
Children's foot deformity usually appears when the child starts to take his first steps or a little bit later. Let’s have a look at different types of children's foot deformities.
Hallux valgus
Children's hallux valgus occurs when the distance between the inner ankles of straightened and tightly placed knees is more than 4-5 cm. This kind of curvature appears several months later after the child starts to take his first steps. This can be explained by the fact that the feet feel the whole body weight load, and the child’s weak muscles simply can’t cope with it. The main changes can be noticed in the child’s knees. If you look at the child sideways, you can see the deformation of the legs in the knee joints, in this area you can usually see the hyperextension of the legs. This disease is often called an X-shaped foot deformity when the foot axis is curved, the child's toes and heels are positioned upwards and overturn inward the gap of the foot between them. Besides, this foot deformity is recognized by the child's shoes, which usually immediately deform while wearing. If this disease isn’t treated, then in the future it can lead to spinal curvature, disorganized alignment of the hip joints, there may be knee and ankle joints’ deformations as well.
Treatment of children hallux valgus
The recovery period of the children hallux valgus is long. In order to treat such feet, doctors recommend the use of therapeutic massage and physical therapy, which help to strengthen the muscular-ligamentous apparatus of the foot and correct the deformity. Doctors necessarily prescribe wearing special shoes, which correct the child's incorrectly standing legs.
If you introduce physical therapy in a playful form, then you can painlessly and easily cope with the disease. If hallux valgus was diagnosed in the early stages, then you can use plenty of orthopedic devices, for example, instep supports, toe correctors, insoles, and stretchers. Massage, warm foot baths, and physiotherapy procedures have a pretty good effect in the case of hallux valgus. However, all these methods unfortunately can’t solve the main problem, which is a joint deformity. In order to correct it, surgical treatment is considered to be an effective method, which is aimed at correcting adverse changes. Besides, such treatment provides good aesthetic results.
Children varus foot deformity
Varus feet deformity is a disease that is regarded as the curvature of the foot arches and axis. The feet are positioned inwards, the load distribution is uneven, there is more load on the outer foot part. Varus feet position is similar to clubfoot, but you have to distinguish these diseases, because clubfoot is a congenital disease, and the varus feet usually develop in the first years of a child’s life when there is a conjunction of adverse circumstances and absence of prevention.
Varus deformity can develop due to:
- flat feet;
- compromised immune system (for example, due to earlier diseases);
- metabolic diseases (rachitis, etc.);
- endocrine diseases (diabetes, thyroid disorders etc.);
- skeletal system diseases;
- foot injuries;
- genetic predisposition.
Besides, the use of uncomfortable or incorrectly selected shoes can contribute to varus feet positioning, leading to the fact that the load is unevenly distributed on the feet, thus, deformation occurs.
Treatment of varus foot deformity
Varus foot deformity is treatable, but this is not a simple process. It’s recommended to start treatment as soon as possible because the chances of success increase depending on how early the diagnosis was made and how fast the foot deformity treatment was started. Treatment should be performed only by an experienced orthopedist. Traditional medicine can help reduce pain in the feet just for a while. Self-treatment is strictly prohibited! Treatment of the varus feet deformity is a long and very complicated process. When diagnosing the disease at an early stage of development, treatment consists of:
- exercise therapy aimed at strengthening muscles and correcting foot shape;
- physiotherapy procedures;
- use of orthopedic insoles, stretchers, instep supports, and correctors;
- complex leg massage, which includes massage of the gluteofemoral and lumbar regions, and massage of the back of the legs.
If there is no improvement in the case of conservative treatment, one needs operative treatment.