Flat Feet

Hi, flat feet is very common but it is crucial that he has customized insoles for his shoes otherwise it will affect his growth or lead to further health complications. I would recommend your son to go and consult a Chiropractor or Podiatrist. I know my Chiropractor makes customised insoles for his patients. You can check out his website at www.vitalhealth.hk or call his clinic at 28810286.

Don't get paranoid about a baby's flat feet and don't jump to the conclusion that use of an orthotic or insole with an arch will cure the "problem". The use of sports shoes is not recommended by podiatrists for anything other than sport, i.e. not for everyday wear, as the feet become over-reliant on the cushioning that they provide.


The condition "flat feet" is a perfectly normal (check it out on a google search) development in children. Almost every baby is born without an arch. The arch forms (not grows) as the bones in a child's feet harden, which takes until the age of eleven or so. Walking in bare feet is best, not outdoors obviously, shoes being required only to protect the feet from injury and can, if incorrectly fitted, cause problems in later life as the bones in a child's feet are soft and maleable and will mould themselves into the shape of the shoe they are put in, without any of the pain sensations that adults feel when wearing badly fitted shoes.


If still anxious then you should consult a podiatrist, not a shoe sales person, as the latter is likely to be more interested in making a quick sale rather than safeguarding the health of your child's feet. The UK Podiatists and Chiropodists Institution web sites offers useful and impartial advice.


http://www.feetforlife.org/index.html


http://www.feetforlife.org/download/2580/Looking-out-4-their-feet-2.pdf