If you’ve noticed that your kids have flat feet, otherwise known as pes planus, you may be wondering:

– Is this normal?
– Are they going to grow out of it?
– What could it mean in the future?

So we thought we’d give you some answers to the best of our ability, keeping in mind that every single foot is different!

Is it normal for kids to have flat feet?

If your child is less than 4 years old, don’t worry! As our kids grow from babies to toddlers, their feet will seem relatively flat because of a low muscle tone, loose ligaments and tissues and a higher amount of padding (baby fat) around the arch and feet. So the answer is yes! Up to the age of 4 years old, or thereabouts, it is normal. If your child has been reaching their developmental milestones a bit later than normal including beginning to walk on their own, then their feet may stay flatter for longer too.

Are they going to grow out of having flat feet?

For most kids, yes! After the age of 4. As kids learn to walk and continue to actively engage their muscles, their muscles will strengthen. The supporting ligaments will also strengthen and be working to support and stabilise the feet, limiting them from rolling inwards and appearing flat. After 4 years of age you should be seeing a normal arch when your kids stand on the ground. Again, this may be a little later if they were late to start walking.

What do flat feet mean for the future?

While having flat feet does make someone more likely to develop problems with their feet and legs as they grow and into adulthood, this doesn’t always happen. In fact, we’ve seen many people with completely pancake flat feet that get absolutely no pain. Unfortunately, having flat feet is a big contributing factor to many foot problems.

This is usually because when feet are rolling all the way to the ground, potentially twice as far inwards as they normally should be, the supporting muscles and ligaments of the feet and legs are having to work that much harder for that much longer to support the feet and keep helping you take step after step. This means the feet and legs tire faster, more force and tension is put through the muscles and they can become damaged and inflamed. It also directs forces through your feet in a different pattern than normal and can lead to areas of high pressure through the bottom of the feet that can become painful and/or develop hard skin (callus), among other symptoms.

So what should I do if my child has flat feet?

If your kids are walking and playing normally, are over 4 years old, and you’re worried about their flat feet then the best thing you can do is bring them in to see us here at Sole Motion Podiatry. We love seeing kids and are experts in kids podiatry. We’ll perform a biomechanical assessment, checking their bones, joints, muscles and ligaments and be able to tell you if there are any other reasons for their flat feet, such as a hyper-mobility syndrome. We’ll assess the way they’re walking and if they’re getting any current symptoms (which can be difficult to spot sometimes!) and make a plan based on the findings. We’ll explain everything and put your mind at ease knowing you’re doing the best thing for your kids feet!

If this sounds like you, give us a call on 1300-FX-FEET and bring your little one in, we’d love to see you both!