Flat-footedness

Deformation of the foot with a flattening of its arches. There are transverse and longitudinal flat feet, perhaps a combination of both forms. With transverse flatfoot, the lateral arch of the foot flattenes, its anterior section rests on the heads of all five metatarsal bones, and not on the first and fifth, as is normal. With longitudinal flat feet flattened longitudinal arch and the foot touches the floor with almost the entire area of ​​the sole. Flattening can be congenital (it is extremely rare) and acquired. The most frequent causes of the latter are overweight, weakness of the musculoskeletal apparatus of the foot (for example, as a result of rickets or excessive loads), wearing incorrectly picked up shoes, clubfoot, foot, ankle, ankle injuries, and paralysis of the lower limb (more often poliomyelitis Paralytic platypodia).
The earliest signs of flat feet - fast fatigue of the legs (when walking, and later on when standing) in the foot, leg muscles, hips, lower back. By the evening there may be a swelling of the foot, disappearing overnight. With severe deformation, the foot lengthens and expands in the middle part. Sufferers flat-footed walk around unfolding their socks and spread their legs wide, slightly bending them in knee and hip joints and waving their arms with a strong hand; They usually wear out the inside of the soles.
An important role is played by the proper selection of shoes: it should not be too tight or too spacious. It is also necessary to follow the posture, paying attention to the fact that children always keep the body and head straight, do not bend wide toe socks when walking. Strengthening the musculoskeletal apparatus of the feet is facilitated by daily gymnastics and exercise, in the warm season it is useful to walk barefoot on uneven ground, sand, in a pine forest. This causes a protective reflex, "sparing" the arch of the foot and preventing the appearance or progression of flatfoot.
If signs of flat feet should consult an orthopedist. The basis of treatment is a special gymnastics, which is carried out at home daily. In this case, individually selected exercises are useful to combine with the usual, strengthening the musculoskeletal device moans. We also recommend daily warm baths (water temperature 35-36 ° C) to the knees, massage the muscles of the foot and head. In a number of cases, special insoles are used - the arch supports, which raise the ultimate arch of the foot. The prognosis largely depends on the stage of development, neglected cases may require long-term treatment, wearing special orthopedic shoes and even surgical intervention.