My Child Has Flat Feet: Should I Be Worried?

Your foot’s arches are in-built shock absorbers that help distribute the shocks of running, walking, and jumping throughout your feet. Non-walking babies don’t yet need arches, so they’re born with flat feet.

Usually, they develop arches in their feet by the age of three. Undeveloped arches partly explain why toddlers toddle. As their arches take form, their steps become surer and more graceful.

Some children never develop arches. Up to nearly 40% of women, men, and kids in the United States have flat feet.

At North Park Podiatry, we offer pediatric foot care for children of all ages. If you’re worried about your child’s flat feet, our expert podiatrists take a look at their foot development at our office in San Diego, California.

When should you be worried about your child’s flat feet? Below are a few cases where your child could benefit from pediatric foot care.

Your child’s gait is affected

Some children don’t develop arches until they’re aged 10 or more. In fact, it’s considered normal, although rare, to be flat-footed until you’re in your teens.

As long as your child is walking and running normally, their flat feet aren’t worrisome. In fact, though they may seem to have flat feet, they may actually have what’s known as “flexible flat feet.” You can see the arch that’s absent in their footprint when their foot is relaxed.

If, however, your child seems to stumble or is slow when walking or running, their flat feet may need correction. Most of the time, simply putting arch supports in their shoes can help their feet function better.

Your child has other foot issues

Because flat feet don’t absorb shock as well as arched feet, the stress of walking and running may cause problems throughout your child’s foot. Bring them in for an exam and care if they have:

Bunions
Hammertoes
Rolled ankles
Corns
Calluses

If your child’s flat feet are causing other issues, we address the underlying cause and also help resolve the complications.

Your child has foot, hip, or back pain

Your child’s flat feet might be pain-free. However, if they have pain in their legs or up their kinetic chain — including their lower back — the problem may stem from a lack of shock absorption in their soles.

Even in young children, flat feet may cause serious complications. Signs that your child’s flat feet need care include:

Ankle sprains
Shin splints
Knee pain
Hip pain
Lower back pain

Flat feet can affect your child’s joints and posture because they may be trying to compensate for the lack of shock absorption by shifting their weight in an unhelpful way.

Without arches, they try to distribute the shock of walking and running throughout their body, which may cause their feet and legs to be misaligned.

Now they’re here, now they’re not

One interesting thing about flat feet is when your child develops arches normally, and then — out of nowhere — the arches seem to disappear. This condition is known as “fallen arches.”

You should bring them in for podiatric foot care to determine the cause of their arches’ collapse and to prevent complications.

Treatment is gentle

In most instances, you don't have to worry about surgery when it comes to your child’s flat feet. If your evaluation determines that their flat feet are causing gait problems or pain, we choose the most supportive and noninvasive therapies possible. These could include:

Physical therapy to strengthen feet and legs
Customized orthotics to support and align their feet
Rest for trauma-caused flat feet
Braces or casting for support
Occasional over-the-counter pain medications

In very rare cases, where your child’s flat feet are caused by overly short tendons, they may need surgery. However, we only recommend that if their flat feet are in danger of causing major complications, such as repeated injuries or pain.

Are you concerned about your child’s flat feet? Call our helpful staff or fill out our online appointment form for a pediatric foot care exam today.