Children’s feet develop throughout childhood. In infancy, a child’s foot has virtually no arch. Infants and small children tend to be flatfooted because the arch tendon has not yet taken shape. Some children have an inward rotation of the foot. This is often not something you need to react to and we do not recommend inserting a support or other aid at a very early age. Feet change constantly throughout childhood and adolescence and adolescents may at times be slightly flatfooted, bowlegged or similar. Once the child’s feet are fully developed, you should focus on a healthy footing. Much back, hip, knee and ankle pain is the result of incorrect foot position. If there are any weaknesses in its grounding (i.e. the feet), the body compensates further up.

There are 26 bones in a foot. In children, the bones are very soft and the feet tend to assume the shape of the shoe. Small children tend not to complain about footwear that is too small as their senses are not as acute as those of older children and adults. Therefore, it is important to have good guide when buying shoes for your child.

Sever’s syndrome and Osgood Schlatter’s Disease: Foot and leg pain

If your child seems reluctant to walk or run, this could be due to misalignment of the foot. Ask your chiropodist for advice and instructions to remedy the problem. As a preventive measure, it may be a good idea to have you child’s feet examined. If your child complains of heel pain, he/she may be suffering from Sever’s Syndrome. If a child has knee pain, he/she may have Osgood-Schlatter’s Disease. Your child may also experience growing pains, which are normal in childhood. You can take steps to remedy and relieve all of these challenges and types of pain.

In some children, the feet remain flat into adulthood (flatfootedness). A child can also have a sunken forefoot. The height of the foot arch is not a serious problem in children. It is important to check whether your child walks or rotates inward or outward on his/her feet, i.e. if the angle of the ankle is incorrect due to a low or flat foot arch.

Misalignment of your child’s feet can lead to an abnormal gait. In early years, children who have misaligned feet may not experience any special foot problems but are likely later to develop problems, such as Sever’s Syndrome (heel pain), Osgood-Schlatter’s Disease (knee pain), general foot pain, ankle pain and/or aching legs. Growing pains, which more or less all children experience as their body is growing, are often much worse in children with pronation and supination of their feet than in children with a healthy, natural foot position. A child with misaligned feet may often find it painful to engage in sport, etc. The pain will often continue afterwards, i.e. the child will feel pain at rest and when setting off. In particularly severe cases, the child develops an abnormal gait, e.g. walking on tiptoe. However, with proper diagnosis and treatment, the child can avoid heel pain for the rest of his/her life.

Insoles?

Your feet carry you all your life and they are the key to correct body alignment. Much back, hip, knee and ankle pain is due to the feet. If your feet and ankles are misaligned, the body compensates further up. Insoles can relieve pain in your feet and other body regions. If you have pain in your body or sore feet, insoles often provide a solution. By addressing the root cause of your problems, you avoid problems elsewhere in your body. With early intervention and focus on your child’s feet, you can prevent many pain problems in adulthood:
• Flat arches (flatfootedness)
• Pain during activity and sports
• Ankle, knee or hip pain
• Sore back and neck
• Heel spurs
• Irritation of/pain in the arches
• Sore or pain in the feet generally

Align Footwear® insoles with the patented tri-planar technology support your child’s foot and provide freedom of movement to the muscles and tendons underneath the feet. Our insoles restore your child’s natural gait. By correcting a child’s feet at an early stage, our insoles allow the feet to develop naturally, and prevent or minimise kinetic problems. Align Footwear® insoles are safe to use because they do not interfere with the work of the muscles. Foot muscles weaken if, for example, you insert an arch support, compression pad or wedge. If your child suffers from a malformation of the foot or a specific disease, we recommend that you contact your family doctor or a specialist for medical advice and guidance.

The insoles are available from EU size 32 and therefore give your child the opportunity to begin treatment at an early age. You can rest assured that your child’s foot is fully developed from this size and up.