Flat feet is an orthopedic disease characterized by a change in the state of the main arches of the foot, which leads to an increase in the load on the legs and provokes the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms: rapid fatigue while walking, swelling of the lower extremities, discomfort in any shoe. Changes in the arches of the legs lead to improper redistribution of shock during running or walking, which negatively affects the condition of the entire musculoskeletal system of a child or adult. Preventing flatfoot is much easier than curing it. Doctors highlight a number of recommendations that should be followed by each person.
General tips
When people ask how to avoid flat feet, many hope to get one universal advice that will prevent the development of the disease. However, successful prevention should always be comprehensive and include the following approaches:
- Regular barefoot walking allows you to strengthen the transverse and longitudinal arches of the foot, which prevents their pathological changes. Doctors advise walking barefoot on various surfaces: small pebbles, earth, grass, etc. This exercise is especially useful for children.
- With an active lifestyle, it is important to remember that the ligamentous apparatus of the feet needs rest, which avoids overwork and microtrauma of the tendons and ligaments on the foot.
- Shoes should be comfortable and not cause discomfort during their wearing. There are special orthopedic models that allow you to ensure the physiological position of the foot. Heeled shoes may only be worn for short periods of time.
- Regular exercises to strengthen the feet allow you to strengthen the main arches, muscle system and the osteoarticular system. A massage has a similar effect.
- Any diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including the spine, must be treated in a timely manner.
These recommendations can be implemented both in childhood and in adults. It is important to note that the duration of classes, walking barefoot and other loads should increase gradually.
Effective exercises
There is a simple set of physical activity that allows you to both prevent flat feet and strengthen the arches of the feet and the musculoskeletal system:
- After a small dynamic warm-up, a person alternately raises and lowers his socks and heels of the feet. The initial number of repetitions is 20 times for socks and heels.
- With fixed heels, spread the toes of the legs to the floor and bring them back.
- One leg rises on the heel, and the second, simultaneously with it, rises on the toe. All this should be repeated at a fast pace up to 20 times in one go.
- Small lengths of added steps allow you to use the main small muscles of the feet.
- Rolling sticks or a small roller using the feet also strengthens the ligamentous apparatus of the legs.
- Rolling the ball, which can be either solid or elastic, has a similar effect.
The presented exercises can strengthen the longitudinal and transverse arch of the feet, which determines the prevention of flat feet in people at any age.
Such physical activity should be increased gradually, avoiding overwork of muscles and ligaments, as this can lead to negative consequences.
Features of the prevention of flat feet in children
Preventive measures to prevent flat feet should begin in infancy, since it is during this age period that children can get sick with various diseases, leading to serious changes in the osteoarticular system. Such diseases include rickets, neurological abnormalities, etc. All these conditions should be promptly detected and treated according to the prescription of the attending physician.
An important point in prevention is the selection of. There are a large number of studies showing that it is uncomfortable shoes that most often lead to a violation of the formation of the foot with the subsequent development of flat feet. Therefore, when buying sneakers, shoes, or any other shoes, you should not save - it is she who determines the future health of the musculoskeletal system in a child.
Children should also perform all the exercises described, but the overall level of exercise must be reduced. In the first years of life, any physical activity can be carried out with the help of parents who support the baby and help him make the necessary movements. Also, mom or dad can do regular foot massage, providing the formation of the arches of the feet.
Prevention of flat feet should begin at a very young age, since the developed disease is very difficult to treat. You can prevent the disease using various methods: wear comfortable shoes, engage in physical activity and perform special exercises, and also visit your doctor regularly if any symptoms of foot diseases occur. You can get additional recommendations for the prevention of flat feet from your doctor in a medical institution.
Principles of General Pathology Prevention
Before starting prevention, it is necessary to undergo diagnostic studies of the condition of the foot. This will reveal the cause of the ailment in adults or children.
A flat foot in young children is due to the presence of fat, which resolves over time. In adults, the cause of flat feet is an increased load on the sole, as well as injuries and inflammatory processes.
With excessive body weight in adults and children, the load on the sole of the foot increases. In this case, preventive measures will be useless until the patient gets rid of extra pounds.
Prevention of flat feet in children
It is easier to prevent the appearance of flattening of the foot in childhood, when the child is just starting to walk. It is important to choose the first shoes for the child of the right size, which will have a small heel, a fixed and hard back, as well as a round toe. It is necessary to observe the rules of personal hygiene, including:
- Daily baths with baby soap,
- Timely nail cutting,
- The correct selection of socks and tights.
When choosing shoes, you should pay attention to products made of genuine leather, stable and comfortably fixed on the foot. The sole should not be too light. The heel height for preschool children should vary between 5-19 mm. Various sports sneakers and rubber slippers are not intended for constant wear.
Do not forget about such preventive measures:
- Long stays in the fresh air,
- Charging,
- Wiping with cold water,
- Walking on sand or pebbles with bare feet in the summer.
For older children, the following will be useful:
- Skiing,
- Swimming in the pool,
- Climbing a rope
- Walking on a log.
The development of pathology in a child is facilitated by walking on a hard surface in soft shoes without heels.
Prevention of flat feet: simple and effective
Walking barefoot. It should be as often as possible to walk barefoot on sand, pebbles, loose earth and simply on the floor. Also a great way to prevent flat feet is walking on pebbles - you can pick up pebbles of various sizes without sharp corners. Every day walk on the stones for about 10-15 minutes.
Massage. To perform this procedure, you will need an ordinary kitchen rolling pin. Sit back in a chair, trying not to stoop your back. Put the rolling pin on the floor, place both legs on it and roll it slowly. Thanks to massage, it is possible to improve blood circulation and restore the foot to its correct anatomical shape.
Exercises. In your free time, do exercises to prevent flat feet: you need to march for 15 minutes in place, and then 5 minutes to march only on toes and 5 only on your heels. Watch your sensations - if you experience pain, you should reduce the time to 2-3 minutes. If seizures occur, you should immediately stop exercising and consult a doctor.
Baths. To prevent flat feet, foot baths with chamomile extract and sea salt are used. To get a 2-in-1 procedure - put pebbles on the bottom of the pelvis - so you use both massage and a bath.
Posture. Always try to keep your back and head straight - this way the body weight will be distributed correctly and the feet will not be overloaded.
Footwear. Proper shoes should be either on a three-centimeter stable wide heel, or flat, but thick and comfortable soles. It is important that the shoes are a little loose and their toe does not cause discomfort.
Performing these simple recommendations, it is possible not only to prevent flat feet, but to carry out effective treatment of the disease.
Adult Prevention
How to prevent flat feet - adults only need to spend up to 30 minutes daily in order to strengthen muscles and ligaments and prevent the development of the disease. Gymnastic exercises allow you to maximize gait correction.
- An important component of the prevention of flat feet in adults are special baths with the addition of drugs (pharmacy chamomile, sage and St. John's wort). They help relieve fatigue in the legs after a long walk. They relieve inflammation and swelling in the lower extremities.
- Women need to exclude wearing uncomfortable shoes, namely high heels. Shoes are recommended to be purchased with a heel not exceeding 3 cm.
- Massages. A good preventive effect is exerted by special massages. They help stimulate reflex points on the foot, and also increase blood flow in the lower extremities.
- Walking barefoot. This type of prevention is extremely useful for both adults and children. Walking on pebbles, sand and grass will be useful, as this will strengthen the arch of the foot.
Professional methods for the prevention of flat feet
In specialized clinics for the prevention of hyperpronation, special insoles are made. On equipment using computer pedobarography, the structure of the sole is calculated and a three-dimensional image is made. The use of special insoles with orthopedic effect is an excellent prevention of flattening of the foot. The wearing time of such insoles is determined exclusively by the orthopedist. Insoles help evenly distribute body weight on the foot, relieving strong muscle tension.
Quite often, parents of young children are asked to write out special insoles - arch support. But the prolonged wearing of such devices is not always justified and can cause even greater harm.
Exercises for the prevention of hyperpronation
Special exercises of physiotherapy exercises are used not only to prevent the development of pathology, but also as part of complex treatment. All exercises should be performed barefoot only:
- Transferring the center of gravity to the forefoot. From a standing position, holding on to a support, it is necessary to carry out lifting on socks, holding in the upper position for 10 seconds. Performing this exercise, the back should be as straight as possible, and the socks and heels together,
- From a sitting position, you need to try to pick up a small ball or other small object from the floor with your toes,
- Walking on toes. Useful for both adults and children. You need to walk for 2-3 minutes on toes, and then 1 minute on the heels,
- Without taking your feet off the floor, do 10 to 15 squats,
- Walking with a duck step in a half squat from 30 to 60 seconds.
Diagnosed in childhood foot hyperpronation is not a life sentence. You can not only prevent flat feet, but also successfully treat it. It is important not to forget about good shoes and exercises, and if symptoms of an ailment arise, consult a doctor to prevent possible complications.
