Karate is not only a great physical exercise for children of all ages, but also a novel way to impart values like dedication and hard work. There are a variety of dojos in Nassau County who can teach your son or daughter self-defense and self-discipline, but it is understandable if you are concerned that his or her pediatric flatfoot might cause issues with this training. Having flat feet is a fairly common condition, but you may want to know a bit about the best treatments for it—and Foot Specialists of Long Island is here to help!
In a best case scenario, the treatment your child needs is “none.” That said, we may want to keep an eye on the condition, but that is merely to make sure that it doesn’t become a problem in the future.
For cases where there is some general aching pain, especially following physical activity, your son or daughter may benefit from the use of shoes that provide greater arch support or even an inexpensive insert that can be purchased over the counter. We can help provide guidance in this regard if you do not feel comfortable determining what will work best for your child.
In addition to providing greater arch support, stretches have proven to be quite helpful in many cases of pediatric flatfoot. The condition, especially when accompanied by a short Achilles tendon, may lead to activity-related pain or discomfort. Our office can provide specific stretches that will help to make the Achilles tendon more limber and decrease issues associated with the fallen arches.
This does not happen particularly often, but some instances of flatfoot do not respond well to conservative treatment, and surgery becomes a necessary course to relieve the associated pain. In these rare cases, an Achilles tendon is too short in patients who are at least 8 years of age. The surgical procedures used are intended to lengthen the tendon and correct the flatfoot condition.
Foot Specialists of Long Island provides first-class foot care for our patients and fellow community members in Nassau County, NY. Contact us today to receive more information about pediatric flatfoot or to schedule an appointment with our Massapequa office for any other foot or ankle issue. Call (516) 804-9038 or simply fill out our online form to get in touch with us.