As a child grows up, he changes throughout the body. Limbs of the feet are no exception. It is very important that the musculoskeletal system, bones and joints are formed correctly, in accordance with age norms. If necessary, timely correction of changes is required to reduce the risk of the formation of certain defects, for example, hallux valgus deformity of the foot in children.
What is this pathology?
According to statistics, more than 30% of children under the age of 5 years have any problems with their feet. If certain measures are not taken in time, then such a deviation, which at first glance is insignificant, can after a while be able to cause significant harm to health. Valgus feet in a child leads to the development of diseases of the spine and musculoskeletal system, as well as a high probability of changes in internal organs.
Such a disease is characterized by the fact that there is a deformation of the shape of the foot, in which the heel and fingers begin to twist. Outwardly, this is noticeably very strong, because the knees are bent and the curvature of the legs against each other becomes apparent. After some time, a swelling occurs in the heel area, clubfoot is formed, the child begins to complain of leg pain.
Stages of the disease
Hallux valgus deformity in children develops in stages, so this pathology is divided into mild, moderate and severe.
At an early stage, deformity of the foot is much easier to cope with than in more advanced versions. At first, the child does not feel any discomfort, and the shape of the feet, slightly different from the usual ones, at first the parents take for the peculiarity of their baby.
When the middle stage of the disease occurs, the child begins to experience inconvenience when walking, he has pain in his legs.
The severe stage of the disease is characterized by the fact that the shape of the foot cannot be completely restored, but it can be corrected and treated.
Reasons for the development of pathology
If the child begins to walk early enough or his parents force him to do this, then in some cases it does not end without consequences. At an early age, the formation of a ligamentous apparatus occurs, which is often not ready for stress, which leads to deformation of the foot.
In addition, valgus feet in a child may occur due to the following factors:
- genetic predisposition, manifested in the weakness of muscle tone;
- violation of the endocrine system;
- birth trauma ;
- wrong shoes that do not fix the foot;
- diseases leading to weakening of articular tissues and destruction of bones (diabetes mellitus, rickets).
To identify a more accurate cause, you need to contact a specialist who will prescribe the optimal treatment.
Is it necessary to treat a deformed foot?
Many parents think that such a pathology itself will pass with age and nothing needs to be done, but it is not. If you do not treat the valgus of the feet in a child, then after a while there will be pain in the legs, a change in posture, and other adverse consequences. That is why such a pathology must be treated. Most often, it lends itself to adjustment, but only if this is not a serious stage of the disease. If the deformation is caused by existing diseases, for example, rickets, then it is necessary to treat the body in a comprehensive manner, and not just its individual disorders.
The main methods of treatment
Regular visits to the pediatrician can identify the disease at an early stage of development, in this case, conservative treatment is prescribed. In advanced cases, there is already the question of surgical intervention.
Thus, if valgus of the foot was detected in a timely manner, the treatment is carried out as follows:
- Therapeutic gymnastics aimed at correcting the hallux valgus in young children. The course should be prescribed only by a doctor, since each stage of such a procedure has its own characteristics. Very well helps gymnastics, combined with games. For example, it can be raising legs of small objects, walking along a narrow path, etc.
- Children's shoes with orthopedic effect are recommended. The product should have not only a special insole, but also the same arch support, rigid berets, adjustable rise. Such children's shoes are quite expensive, but are very effective for the successful restoration of the foot.
- Also, the doctor may recommend wearing orthopedic insoles. Such a product is selected individually, taking into account changes in the foot. Basically, children's insoles are made to order, based on the recommendations of the orthopedist.
- As a treatment, the doctor may prescribe a course of massage. A specialist should conduct it, but if parents learn his technique, then they will be able to carry out such a procedure. If the case is severe enough, then a foot or limb massage should be performed in a medical facility.
- Physiotherapy can be prescribed not only during the recovery period, but also for preventive purposes. Such therapy does not affect the feet, but thanks to it, the overall tension decreases and the pain in the legs is relieved. With severe discomfort while walking, the doctor may prescribe painkillers.
- You should constantly move - walk, swim, etc. But in this case there should be no contraindications for this.
Surgical treatment
If conservative methods of treatment have failed, then an operation is performed. Valgus feet undergo surgery quite rarely. Thanks to modern methods, plaster and metal constructions are dispensed with, which makes the operation less traumatic than before. The surgeon during its holding changes the angle between the bones and distributes the ligaments in the right way. The next day, the child can already walk independently.
But you should know that the surgical method of treatment is used only for children of an older age category with significant foot deformity. Such a radical method is not used for babies, so a massage is prescribed to correct the legs.
Massage with valgus feet
This method of correction of foot deformation is used to strengthen the muscles of the feet and legs, as well as to improve the conduction of nerves and increase the general tone of the child’s body. To massage brought a tangible result, it should be done only by a specialist.
Its conduct begins with the lower back, since it is from this part of the body that nerves go to the feet and legs. Massage movements are carried out on the legs and hips, gradually moving to the feet. Depending on how severe the deformation is, this procedure may be mild or more intense.
Usually the massage course is 10 days, but it is recommended to constantly repeat it for 3-4 months, taking a break of 1-2 weeks. The exact frequency should be prescribed by an orthopedist who observes the child.
Massage for young children helps to bring the foot back to normal and strengthen the muscles of the legs. But you should be patient, as this process is long. It must be remembered that the necessary therapeutic effect of massage is obtained only subject to other therapeutic methods and rules.
Preventive measures
It is quite possible to prevent the development of foot deformity in a child, except in cases of congenital pathology. To do this, you must visit a specialist, according to the schedule for monitoring the baby. After a year, this should be done once every 12 months, and if deviations from the norm are detected, then you should definitely consult an orthopedist. Also, preventive measures include the following actions:
- Timely load on the legs. A small child who does not yet know how to walk cannot be forced to do this on purpose, since the ligamentous apparatus has not yet been fully formed.
- Monitoring the health of the child, maintaining a balanced diet, taking vitamins.
- Wearing the right shoes. Otherwise, large arch support, insufficient fixation and other shortcomings of improperly selected shoes can provoke flat feet.
- Gymnastics. An excellent prevention of foot deformity is regular exercise with a child. Thanks to simple exercises in the form of a game, the risk of the formation of various deviations in the development of the foot is significantly reduced.
- Massage. This is an excellent prevention of foot diseases. Pediatricians often recommend that mothers massage their feet during the first steps of the child.
Output
Thus, valgus feet in a child can be prevented if you follow the necessary recommendations. Thanks to preventive measures, serious consequences for the baby's health can be avoided, the correction of which takes a lot of time and physical effort. This is not always without harm to the child's body.