What Are the Treatments for Pes Planus in Children?

Pes planus, also known as flat feet or fallen arches, is a rather common condition in both adults and children. While most children will eventually grow out of their pes planus condition by the time they are five or six, some may never grow out of it. Even this will not present much of a problem nine times out of ten, but occasionally children will have problems with flat feet.

Corrective Shoes

• Shoes that provide extra arch support are one of the most common treatments for pes planus in children. Pes planus tends to produce a lot of strain in the anterior tendons, and corrective shoes can relieve some of that pressure. Additionally, the shoes can improve walking posture and prevent further problems.

Inserts

• Inserts won't do anything to reverse the deformity inherent in pes planus, but they can provide extra support when wearing shoes. This extra support will prevent undue strain on the tendons in the bottom of the foot, which is especially important for children who are active or spend much of their day standing.

Stretching

• Heel pain can result from pes planus in a very active child. Stretch the calf muscle to alleviate this pain. This will increase flexibility and allow the child a fuller range of motion when running and jumping.

Pain Relievers

• Sometimes it's only important to treat the symptoms of pes planus, as they may only flare up due to circumstances or injury. Over-the-counter pain medications, such as Tylenol, can reduce inflammation and swelling as well as give the child relief from the pain.

Surgery

• Surgery to correct pes planus is very rare in both children and adults. Most of the time, the condition will cause no problems, and even when it does it can be helped with the treatments above sufficiently enough to avoid surgical intervention. The exception is when the child has tarsal coalition--the bones in the midfoot fail to fuse together. This is called inflexible flatfoot and can be very painful. An orthopedic surgeon may choose to intervene in these cases.