Flat Feet in Children - Diagnostic and Treatment Using Orthotic Insoles

Flat feet in children is usually a difficult condition to recognize when they're very young, since baby fat often hides the true shape of the foot. As months go by and as the toddler enters walking stage, the situation becomes more obvious. As the child ages, it is normal for an arch to appear between 4 and 6 years of age, commonly being developed by walking barefoot on bumpy terrain. This develops ligaments, muscles, and tendons. If a normal arch does not appear during this stage of development, then it could become necessary to look into the use of orthotic shoe inserts to prevent lower body or back problems from occurring later in life.

A good way to test if a foot arch is developing is by using a wet blotter. With this technique, you make a footprint of your child's damp foot on colored paper. Then you check if the foot arch leaves a noticeable gap. It is also possible to do this on a beach, or in a sandbox by looking at the foot impression, however the blotter test is much more telling. Another symptom of flat feet is if the child complains about aches to his or her calf muscles or ankles after walking for a period of time, as flat feet during childhood can cause additional strain on ankles and calves to counteract the deficiency of arches in the feet. In some cases, a child may walk on the outer edges of his feet, and this is often mistaken for bowleggedness, when in reality it is a consequence of over-pronation caused by flat feet.

\"Foot Specialist\"

The excessive rolling inwards of the ankles and feet, also known as pronation, and resulting breakdown of the arches is found in up to 70% of the population. Over a period of time, over-pronation, in addition to foot pain will also cause back problems, and also leg problems. Many people fail to realize how appropriate foot, leg and back alignment are related, and it is important to correct any foot problems such as childhood flat feet to prevent further lower body health complications.

Flat Feet in Children - Diagnostic and Treatment Using Orthotic Insoles

It is recommended to identify flat feet in early life as soon as possible to prevent ensuing complications later in life. It is possible for adults of any age to develop flat fee, though in many cases it is considered as a normal part of aging,. Flat feet may be caused for reasons such as illness, injury, or pregnancy, and can be permanent or temporary, depending on the reason. Being overweight can also cause flat feet in adults or children.

Foot conditions such as flat feet in early life can be corrected to prevent serious complications like plantar fasciitis and avoid damage to ankles, calves, or lower back. A good measure of prevention is through the use of orthotic shoe inserts. A foot specialist (podiatrist) should be able to examine the symptoms and advise proper treatment, which could include orthotic shoe inserts or foot exercises, depending on the severity of the problem. In many cases, standard orthotic shoe inserts products available on the Internet or at retail stores, can provide the needed arch support, without the need for expensive custom-made orthotics or other aids available via prescription.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to flat feet in early life is that early detection can preclude many serious complications to other body parts such as the knees and lower back over time. It is easy to treat flat feet in early life through readily available and affordable orthotic shoe inserts.

Flat Feet in Children - Diagnostic and Treatment Using Orthotic Insoles

Fred Salomon is a foot health care specialist with professional and commercial ventures in the podiatric industry, including foot care products and foot health treatment options. You can find in-depth foot care information and orthotics treatment options at his http://www.footminders.com website.

WalkFit Platinum Orthotic Shoe Inserts Review: 5 Things to Consider Before Buying

Orthotic shoe inserts have been around for years. Orthotic inserts are medically-designed to fit into shoes and provide long-lasting foot, knee and back relief. Usually, these physician-approved inserts cost 100s of dollars though.

Several years ago WalkFit Orthotics hit the infomercial market & since then over 5 million have been sold. Millions of people have tried WalkFit for a fraction of the price and never looked back. The new WalkFit Platinum has taken the good & made it better with new & improved technology.

\"Foot Specialist\"

There are 5 things you should consider, though, before purchasing the WalkFit Platinum Orthotic Shoe Inserts:

WalkFit Platinum Orthotic Shoe Inserts Review: 5 Things to Consider Before Buying

Who Needs WalkFit Orthotics? Most people thinking about purchasing the WalkFit Orthotics Inserts are already suffering from some sort of foot ailment such as shin splints, bunions, heel spurs, hammer toe or just foot pain in general. The answer is that, in terms of long-term health, everyone would benefit from wearing WalkFit Orthotics. There are, however, obvious benefits for active adults, seniors & anyone who spends a great deal of time on their feet at work such as mechanics, hospitality professionals and construction workers.

Are The Claims Made on TV True? The short answer is, YES. The Walk Fit Platinum Orthotics do live up to the claims made on TV. What they do not explain on TV is that, depending on the condition of your feet, it may take a week or two (maybe longer) for you to be able to wear the WalkFit for extended periods of time.

Once the feet become accustomed to the insoles, however, approximately 95% of our customers surveyed reported that WalkFits are essential to their daily life. A small percentage of those that try the WalkFit Platinum have such extreme discomfort that only a surgical procedure will repair the problem.

How Do WalkFits Compare to Other Orthotics? There is the option of having an orthotic foot specialist custom-design a pair of inserts for your feet. This option requires the investment of the physician visits plus the cost of the orthotics insoles, which usually are no less than 0. WalkFit Orthotics, on the other hand, are customized to within inch of the size of your feet and include three additional customizable inserts for varying comfort levels. So, while WalkFit Platinums aren't designed to the specific mold of your foot, they do offer the added benefit of varying comfort levels for varying levels of pain & foot problems. Many of our customers who have had custom orthotics report that these gel inserts make the WalkFit much more helpful.

How Do WalkFit Orthotics Work? WalkFit Orthotics gradually re-align your feet over time to give you the best arch support possible for overall health. By re-aligning your feet properly, the entire body is put in a much more stabilized position. Very much like an anchor keeps a ship stabilized. This stabilization not only benefits the feet, but helps to gradually re-align and support other areas of the body such as the shins, the knees, your thighs & hips, as well as lower back and neck. It's like the domino effect, but in reverse.

Bottom-Line: If you're suffering from foot pain, this is not a natural way to live. Each pair of WalkFit Platinum Orthotic Inserts comes with a full 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you don't begin to feel relief within 30 days, ShopAtAsSeenOnTV.com will gladly refund the full purchase price.

WalkFit Platinum Orthotic Shoe Inserts Review: 5 Things to Consider Before Buying

Sherman Walters is President of ShopAtAsSeenOnTV.com, the Inernet's most trusted source for As Seen on TV infomercial products. He and his staff routinely test infomercial products for their customers and publish the results of those tests online.

Orthotics, Orthotic Insoles - How They Help Relieve Aches and Pains

This article will help you understand:

- What Orthotics are

\"Foot Specialist\"

- Different types of Orthotics available

Orthotics, Orthotic Insoles - How They Help Relieve Aches and Pains

- Difference between Orthotic Insoles and regular Footbeds

- How Orthotics work

- Which common ailments can be treated with Orthotics

What exactly is an 'Orthotic'?

An Orthotic is a generic name for Orthotic Insoles/Shoe inserts or Orthoses used as a device that can be placed inside shoes to correct and restore the normal function of our feet. Improper foot biomechanics are responsible for many complaints such as heel pain, knee pain, and lower back pain.

Biomechanics is the science of movement that studies motion during walking, running, and sports.

Over-pronation is the term used to designate poor foot biomechanics. It makes your foot arch drop or flatten while the feet and ankles roll inwards. It is anticipated that nearly 70 percent of the population suffer from over-pronation.

Orthotics correct this over-pronation effect by restoring the feet and ankles to their normal position desired for natural foot functioning. The procedure not only alleviates foot problems but also gives relief to various other functions of the human body.

What are the different types of Orthotics available?

Generally speaking there are 3 different types of Orthotics. These are:

1) Custom-made (rigid) Orthotics

For patients suffering from more serious biomechanical disorders the custom-made (rigid) Orthotics provide a better solution. The devices are only available from a Podiatrist. Over-pronation is the most common ailment most people suffer from. Conversely, the opposite of 'pronation' is 'supination'. People suffering from this manifestation find their feet roll outwards or 'supinate' and the arch stiffens up remaining high as the foot makes contact with the ground. The deformity affects a mere 5 percent of the population and is called a Cavus or High Arch Foot. Supinators need custom-made Orthotic devices that correct the malfunction.

Persons who suffer from other deformities like large bunions, foot ulcers or completely flat feet also need to consult a Podiatrist.

How Does a Podiatrist Perform?

After initial diagnosis the Podiatrist decides on a 'customised' prescription orthotic. This is followed by a plaster cast of the patients foot (namely a negative or 'female impression') after which the initial cast is sent to the Orthotic Fabrication Laboratory to process further. From this mould a positive or male impression is formed by pouring plaster and the result is an accurate copy of the underfoot. The Orthotist or Orthotic technician fabricates the custom Orthotic that includes all the adjustments as prescribed by the Podiatrist. Now the rigid or semi-rigid Orthotic device is ready for use by the patient. Though these are very useful devices many patients find the use cumbersome and do not easily get used to the Orthotic.

2) Heat-mouldable Orthotics:

Heat-mouldable Orthotics are cheaper alternatives to expensive customised Orthotics that can cost 0 - 0 per pair. They are standard 'off-the-shelf' flexible devices made from medium density EVA material. The device can be heated to slightly alter its shape. Sometimes, wedges are added for a more customised result. Heat-mouldable Orthotics cost around 0 to 0 and are much easier to get used to than custom rigid Orthotics.

3) Pre-fabricated 'off the shelf' Orthotic:

Pre-fabricated Orthotics are soft-medium density shoe inserts available from pharmacies, on-line specialist websites, and some physiotherapists or chiropractors. People will get used to such Orthotics almost immediately and the cost ranges from to per pair. Research has shown that for 80% of people suffering from over-pronation, a pre-fabricated Orthotic will provide sufficient correction. Also after a few weeks of wear, these types of Orthotics will customise to the wearer's foot shape as a result of body weight and body heat. Most pre-fabricated Orthotic are made from EVA, a flexible material that supports the foot without hurting the arches. Especially children and elderly people benefit from a softer type of Orthotic since they cannot tolerate anything hard under the foot.

What is the difference between orthotics and regular footbeds?

There is a large difference between Footbeds and Orthotics! Regular Footbeds are purely designed to provide a cushioning effect and shock absorption. At first they may feel comfortable however footbeds do not effectively address any biomechanical problem since they do not correct over-pronation. Whereas orthotics are functional devices designed to correct and optimise our foot function. Some footbeds also feature an arch support though it may be too weak to have any appreciable effect. This is especially true if the material of construction is very soft and rubber-like.

How does an Orthotic exactly work?

First of all orthotics do a lot more than just supporting the arches. They realign the feet and ankles, restoring faulty foot function. Additionally, orthotics provide even weight distribution and take the pressure of sore spots from heels, ball of the foot, corns and between toes, and bunions. Though it is not their main purpose, the orthotics do provide some degree of shock absorption as well.

The main purpose of an orthotic insole is to improve the foot function and in many cases it will reduce pain and will help prevent future problems and injury.

There have been suggestions from various quarters that the use of Orthotics may weaken the foot muscles. According to a recent research paper from Australia "there are no reasons to doubt any decrease in muscle activity even after four weeks usage. Therefore Foot Orthoses users may not be worried through these unsupported statements."

What ailments can orthotics be used for?

Years of use has proven that most foot complaints will respond favourably to treatment with orthotics. These devices are found to be very effective for treating heel pain, heel spurs, Plantar Fasciitis, pain from bunions, callous and corns, Achilles Tendonitis, Ball of Foot Pain and Morton's Neuroma.

Our feet are the foundation of our body. Many problems in the legs, knees and back can be attributed to poor foot biomechanics. Therefore, orthotics can be very useful in the treatment of shin splints, knee pain and lower back pain. This is the reason that many physiotherapists and chiropractors have started using orthotics.

Over-pronation of the feet is the cause for the lower leg to rotate inwards and the pelvis to tilt forward - in turn putting a lot of strain and stress on the legs, knees and back. Orthotics corrects the problem of over-pronation and therefore greatly reduce internal leg rotation and forward pelvic tilt.

A study from the USA "identified the nature of a person's walk as a source of chronic lower back pain," The study further showed more than a fifty percent improvement in alleviation of back pain after wearing orthotics.

Sources:

The Journal of American Podiatric Medicine May 1999, Sobel E, Levity S T,Caselli MA Division of Orthopedic Sciences,New York College of Podiatric Medicine

Vol. 94 Number 6 542-549 2004 Journal of American Podiatric Medicine

"The Conservative Management of Plantar Fasciitis"- Pfeffer GB , University of California, San Francisco, CA.

"Chronic Low-Back Pain and Its Response to Custom-Made Foot Orthoses" HOWARD J. DANANBERG, DPM, MICHELLE GUILIANO, DPM

Orthotics, Orthotic Insoles - How They Help Relieve Aches and Pains

Peter Van Dyke is a Dutch foot specialist and orthotist with a special interest in heel pain, knee-pain, low back pain and orthotics. He gives advice on effective remedies to help relieve aching feet and prevent further problems. He also works closely with a number of large orthotics manufacturers in Europe, the USA and Australia.