How is pediatric flatfoot treated?
In most cases, children outgrow pediatric flatfoot without treatment. Unless the child is experiencing pain, your physician may recommend a wait-and-watch approach. You will be asked to bring your child for periodic re-evaluations.
If the child is experiencing pain, the physician may recommend hard or soft shoe inserts to support the arch. He or she may also create a custom orthotic device to fit into your child’s shoe to help support the arch and relieve the pain. In older children and adolescents, stretching exercises and physical therapy may provide relief.
In rare cases, surgery may be needed to treat pediatric flatfoot. This is more common with rigid flatfoot and in children who continue to experience pain despite non-surgical approaches. Several different types of surgery can be done, depending on the child’s age, type of flatfoot, and the degree of his or her deformity.