Parents are very happy about the first steps that their baby takes. At the same time, they often forget that from this moment the child's legs are experiencing a serious load. The feet begin to form actively. From this time, flatfoot prophylaxis in preschool children should be started . It includes many activities, among which a special role is given to exercises. Equally important for the proper development of foot shoes. The latter should be ergonomic and quality.
What is flat feet
Many people know firsthand about this ailment. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common pathology, which in an advanced stage can even lead to disability. Therefore, doctors are not tired of repeating that the prevention and correction of flat feet in preschool children must be carried out.
So what is this pathology? Flat feet is one of the most common ailments of the musculoskeletal system in babies. The foot of the child with this disease is deformed. Its arch is flattened. The foot takes a flat shape. As a result, a person stands touching the floor with the entire surface.
It is worth considering that the formation of foot bones continues in a child until the age of five. Therefore, the diagnosis of "flat feet" can be made to the baby only after this age. In earlier years, the foot is still developing. For example, at the age of two, a flat sole surface is considered normal.
In rare cases, flat feet is diagnosed in infancy. This is a congenital pathology that is combined with flat valgus deformity of the foot.
Symptoms of pathology in children
Parents should know that flatfoot prophylaxis in preschool children is necessary for all babies. Most mothers and fathers mistakenly believe that if the doctor did not tell them about this pathology, it means that she will not touch their child. But, unfortunately, the doctor is able to determine the ailment only in a 5-year-old child, when the foot is formed. And in this case, serious treatment will be required.
But if flatfoot prophylaxis is constantly carried out in preschool children, then even in crumbs prone to pathology, the correct feet are formed.
Parents can suspect the development of an ailment by the following signs:
- fatigue when walking;
- swelling in the feet;
- aching leg pain;
- enlarged wide foot;
- quick wear on the inside of the heels and soles;
- violation of posture;
- clubfoot.
With such symptoms, you should definitely show the child an orthopedist.
Factors provoking the development of the disease
Unfortunately, flat feet are very often observed in children. Its causes and prevention in children are more dependent on parents. Indeed, quite often an ailment develops as a result of improperly selected shoes. Often the source of the problem is physical inactivity.
To protect the crumb from the development of flat feet, you should familiarize yourself with the main factors leading to deformation:
- Wearing low-quality shoes (without arch support, soft, with a completely flat sole).
- Heredity.
- Leading a sedentary lifestyle. Children nowadays are more and more addicted to computers or tablets, instead of participating in various games on the street.
- Large loads on the feet of the child. They can occur, for example, in obesity.
- Rickets. The development of flat feet is associated with the fragility of the bones characteristic of this disease.
- Various foot injuries, mainly fractures.
- Muscle paralysis. Pathology develops after polio.
Disease treatment
If flatfoot is congenital, then the following is taken to combat it:
- The mild form is cured by the application of gypsum. This allows you to fix the foot in the desired position. Plaster dressings are applied for a week. Then change to new ones. The duration of treatment is about 10 weeks. After this, the child undergoes a course of physiotherapy. He is given massages and is recommended to wear orthopedic shoes, made to order at the studio. In addition, it should be tuned that rehabilitation prophylaxis of flat feet in preschool children in this condition will require a long one.
- For the treatment of severe forms, only surgical intervention is used.
Therapy of acquired flat feet lasts quite a long time. Treatment consists of the following activities:
- Daily physical therapy exercises that strengthen leg muscles. During exercises, they also use a special massage mat, the irregularities of which help strengthen the soles of the feet.
- Wearing orthopedic shoes. It should have a hard high back and a series of fasteners, with the help of which the leg is tightly fixed. Such shoes are made only from natural materials. Be sure to make a small heel and insert insoles with arch support. Orthopedic shoes are sold at specialized points of sale or are made to order in the direction of the orthopedist.
- Massage. As prescribed by the doctor, do courses of 10-15 sessions.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed 2 times a year. Most often this is electrophoresis and electromyostimulation.
Gymnastics classes
For the correct formation of the feet, it is necessary to perform special exercises. Gymnastics allows you to adjust even the emerging deformation. It is on this basis that the prevention of flat feet in preschool children is based. Exercises to develop the foot will be offered by the orthopedist.
Gymnastics itself is simple. Parents can easily do it on their own. And if you diversify it with games, then such prevention of flatfoot in preschool children will be a real delight.
Sitting exercises:
- Slowly bend and unbend toes.
- Stroking. Spend the big toe on the lower leg of the other limb. Drive from bottom to top. Then do the same movement with the other foot. The exercise is performed several times.
- The sole and inner part of the foot of one leg should be carried along the lower leg of the other. It is also performed several times.
- Put your feet on the floor, at a right angle. Holding the heels, raise the toes of the foot.
- Connect the soles of the feet. Keep in this position for several minutes.
- Dilute the heels to the sides. Keep socks together.
- Roll the ball with the soles.
- Take small objects with your toes. Then shift them.
Healing Walk:
- Walk, rolling from heel to toe. Try to step on the whole foot.
- When walking, tighten and stretch your toes.
- Choose uneven surfaces. It is on them that you need to walk. It can be pebbles, grass. A very useful massage mat.
Standing exercises:
- Roll from heels to socks. Then to the inside and outside of the foot.
- Squat, without taking your heels off the floor.
- Stand alternately on the outside and inside of the foot.
In addition, do not forget that kids are very tired of doing gymnastics very quickly. Therefore, the given set of exercises for the prevention of flat feet in children must be varied with elements of games.
Walking, jogging, outdoor activities that make all leg muscles work are also recommended.
Home methods
To maintain the normal development of the child's feet, physical activity and a proper diet are necessary.
How is flatfoot prophylaxis in preschool children at home? There are many great methods.
Consider some of the recommendations of doctors:
- The baby should move a lot, so it is not recommended to keep it wrapped in diapers all the time.
- For swimming, it is preferable to use a large bathtub, where the child will be able to move, making swimming movements.
- After taking water procedures, you need to do a light foot massage.
- Do not be afraid if the child walks barefoot in the summer on grass and sand. This has a positive effect on the formation of the foot.
- A foot bath using sea salt works well. Preparing this procedure is very simple. Water is poured into a large bathtub so that it covers the ankles of the child. Sea salt is dissolved in it, leaving a few crystals at the bottom. The baby should walk along the bottom of the bath, as in shallow water.
This is an excellent prevention of flat feet in preschool children. An orthopedic consultation will allow you to expand the list of therapeutic measures that can be used at home.
Massage Mats
They can be made independently or purchased in specialized stores. Massage rugs are produced with a diverse surface. They are made from natural materials.
Use such rugs is recommended from the moment when the child begins to take the first steps. This is a fairly effective prevention of flat feet in preschool children. The photo allows you to see how it is performed.
It is enough for the baby to walk on the surface of the massage mat for 5 minutes a day.
Foot massage
A very effective method of preventing flat feet. It is better if this procedure is performed by a professional masseur.
But if parents want to conduct this event themselves, then they should familiarize themselves with the methodology:
- Before starting the procedure, warm up the body with gymnastics or take a contrast shower.
- Start massage from above. To stretch the hips, then the calves and Achilles tendon.
- Massage the inner and outer sides of the foot.
- Go to the processing of the sole.
The duration of the massage is about a quarter of an hour.
Physical education in a preschool educational institution
In educational institutions, much attention is paid to the prevention of flat feet. In kindergartens and schools, various walking options are practiced in physical education classes.
Prevention of flat feet in preschool children in preschool educational institutions most often has the character of a game. A specially designed set of exercises, accompanied by reading poems. Kids like this and brings elements of the game to the lesson.
Prevention of flat feet
Children are attracted to exercises only if they are performed in a playful way.
That is why gymnastics is most often used in kindergartens, as in the following complex:
"Swing"
The child sits on a gymnastic bench, legs stretched out and resting heels on the floor. At the word "up" pulls the socks of his feet on himself. Then lowers the word "Down" to the floor.
Accompanied by a quatrain:
Ah swing, oh swing
They flew right up to the sky
Up and down, up and down
Just hold on tight!
"Claps"
A child sits on a bench. Toe socks need to be parted to the sides. Then connect, performing a kind of pops.
We clapped, clapped our hands
And now our legs are working!
"Ballet"
The child, sitting, rests his hands on the bench. The legs are extended. Tightens limbs, resting on fingers. Then it returns to its original position, directing the socks towards itself.
The legs dance like in ballet
Our children are dancing
They began to expose the legs,
And stand on your fingers.
"Drummer"
Tighten the toes and, sitting on the gymnastics bench, beat the rhythm of the rhyme with your fingers:
Misha has a drum,
Thundered like a hurricane.
But when he was given,
They asked quietly.
But why then is he,
If they can’t rattle?
Spider
The child steps over a hoop or stick, with an added step. At the same time, he embraces the gymnastic apparatus with his toes.
A spider crawls along the path
Quickly he rearranges his legs.
"Funny hedgehog"
A child stands holding his hands on his belt. He rolls the ball from toe to heel, changing legs.
Hedgehog runs along the path
And we massage the legs!
"Painter"
A child stands holding his hands on his belt. He draws legs on the floor of the figure - circles, squares.
Will the children draw
Today only legs!
They will perform the legs
The idea of the artist!
"Snail"
The child, standing, raises his toes. He bends them and rests on the floor. Begins to move forward.
Our legs will show us
How the snail stomps along the path!
"Heels"
Get on your heels with your socks up. Then down on your foot.
Stop basking in the crib
We need to knead our heels!
"Painter"
The child lies on his back and leads one foot on the other.
It's time to paint the house
We called the painter!
But not with a brush, a bucket,
The master came to our house!
The element of the game in these exercises makes them easy to perform. The child remembers rhymes and can then, according to his mood, perform them himself, even outside of physical education classes.
Special equipment classes
It should be noted that educators provide for the prevention of flat feet and posture disorders in preschool children. After all, such ailments are very common in children recently. In addition, the deformation of the feet leads to a shift in the center of gravity. As a result, a violation of posture often develops.
To perform such charging, you will need special equipment.
Prevention of flat feet and posture disorders in preschool children involves the use of tracks:
- Zebra. It is made of dense fabric with pockets in which various fillers are placed. It can be pebbles, peas, small cones.
- Flower meadow. Various objects are sewn onto a piece of dense fabric - beads, buttons, bones from the bill, plastic flowers.
- Winding path. Take a strip of dense fabric and sew on it, in the form of a snake, a rope with knotted knots.
- Obstacle course. Cut foam into squares and sheathe a cloth. On the squares fix objects that can stimulate the feet (pencils, caps from plastic bottles, ropes, buttons). Foam squares connect to each other.
What parents should remember
To reduce the risk of developing pathology, the prevention of posture disorders and flat feet in children should begin with the first steps of the baby.
The following methods help:
- When a child is just starting to get up, holding on to a support, it is necessary that he does this in shoes. The latter should be made of natural materials and tightly fix the foot, due to the hard back. Using recommended shoes prevents foot misplacing.
- The child must not be allowed to wear shoes for older children. After all, they get stuck, and can change the location of the foot.
- Hardening helps the body to always be in good shape. Accordingly, muscle activity is activated. And the good work of such tissues protects against flat feet.
- Reception of contrasting baths for feet. Take two containers. Pour into one - water at a temperature of 40 degrees, into the other - at 33. The legs are alternately lowered into basins with water for 10 minutes. It should be borne in mind that this procedure can only be carried out when the child is healthy.
- The use of sea salt in the foot baths, and when bathing. If there is an opportunity to take the child to the sea, you definitely need to do this. Salt has a tonic effect on muscles and blood vessels. Sea water, due to its density, can replace massage.
- Walking barefoot allows the feet to have a stimulating effect. It is better to walk on uneven surfaces. In summer it is grass, pebbles, sand. In winter, to continue prevention, you can sprinkle small objects such as peas, flat buttons, beans on the floor. Offer the baby to walk on them.
Such recommendations will protect the baby from a serious pathology.