Correct Flat Feet Before Adolescence
Surgery to
correct flat feet can permanently correct the defect with high levels of
success if performed during adolescence, a study suggests.
Researchers
noted at a meeting of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons that
flat feet are difficult to distinguish in young children until the arch
develops between the ages of six and nine.
Some children
eventually outgrow the condition. Those who do not frequently complain
of calf pain, cramping or fatigue, and parents notice collapsed arches
and ankles that turn inward. Left untreated, childhood flatfoot can lead
to arthritis and other adult foot problems.
Treatment options
include shoe modifications, orthotic inserts, physical therapy, stretching
exercises, anti-inflammatory medications and surgery.
The 18-month
study analyzed 37 children following surgery to correct flexible flatfoot.
"Our results show that just four months following surgery, these patients
were functioning as well as other children regarding physical function,
lack of pain and psychological well being," said lead author Darryl Haycock,
a foot and ankle surgeon in Lima, Ohio.
He noted the
findings show flatfoot surgery is a safe and reliable option for pediatric
patients who fail to respond to conservative treatment.
--
Copyright 2003 by United
Press International.
All rights reserved.
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