How to Treat Flat Feet in Babies: Causes, Symptoms,

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

Flat feet in babies, also known as pes planus, is a foot condition in babies as well as young children, which is often misunderstood. It is a postural deformity in which the arches of the foot collapse and the entire sole of the foot comes into complete or near to complete contact with the ground. It occurs when the tendons, ligaments and small bones on the underside of the feet, it cannot support the body and collapses. In case of babies, it is very difficult to spot flat foot as the baby fat hides the true shape of the foot. It is common for babies and toddlers, but in some cases, the tissues underneath the feet firm up with age and create a shock absorbing arch. 

What are the causes of flat feet in babies?

When a baby has flat feet, the weight of the whole body is forced on the toe and not on the second toe, which is actually the case in normal walking.

Flat feet in babies are a very common condition. Flat feet occur because the tissues holding the joints together become loose. The tissues tighten and form an arch as children grow older. 

Some hereditary conditions also lead to lose tendons like:

Ehlers – Danlos Syndrome

Marfan Syndrome

People who are suffering from these conditions mostly have flat feet. 

In case of babies, sometimes two or more bones fuse together in the foot and cause pain which leads to flat feet in them.

What are the symptoms of flat feet in babies?

Babies are born with flat feet as their feet tendons or the tissues connecting their joints are still very loose. Foot arches develop as these tendons strengthen, mostly when the babies turn 4 years of age. 

If the baby complains about pain then a doctor should be consulted immediately. Some of the other symptoms that help in noticing flat feet in babies are as follows:

-The feet of the babies get easily tired.

-The heels usually face a lot of pain and discomfort in the babies who might have flat feet.

-The soles of the feet get swollen in the babies.

-The babies face difficulty tiptoeing and other foot movements.

-There is a backache and leg pain in babies who might have flat feet.

How to treat Flat Feet in babies?

Flat feet in babies need not be treated unless they are causing any pain or discomfort to them. When the baby complains of any of the symptoms discussed previously, a doctor should be concerned. The doctor prescribes different treatments in order to cure flat feet in the baby. The symptoms need to be treated first as those cause pain in the babies’ feet. There is nothing much that can be done non-surgically for flat feet in babies. Some of these treatments are as follows:

If the baby has swollen feet, the doctor prescribes rest and suggests to relieve it with ice water to lessen the pain in the baby.

Massaging is the best way to treat flat feet in babies. It eliminates the muscle problems in the babies.

Physical therapy also helps as it strengthens the calf muscles and the posterior tibialis muscles (the tissues that support the arch muscles).

When is it necessary to treat flat feet in babies?

When the baby has tightness around the heels, he needs to be treated as this affects his motion. This can result in flat feet if not treated with stretching exercises. When he complains of back pains and leg pains or has difficulty in tip toeing, that means he needs treatment (non-surgical).  

Surgical options are considered as treatment plans mostly in children above 8 years of age. In case of babies, it is normal to have flat feet, and it can be treated by a lot of massage, physical therapy and pressing ice water to the swollen feet. 

Mostly in cases of flat feet in babies, the advice prescribed by doctors and consultants is to wear well-fitted, comfortable and supportive shoes with inbuilt arch support.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.