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Growing Pains In Children Or Merely Flat Feet? By Dr. John Goodner
F
oot, ankle and leg problems in the growing child are often considered to be “Growing Pains” in the bone and muscles of the lower extremity. While in a small number of cases this might be true, in a majority of the cases the pains that plague these children and teenagers may be caused by lower extremity malalignment problems.
activities and sports and premature fatigue with many activities. Many children can also develop lower back pain. Treatment is important early on. Changing a child’s shoe gear to add more support to the foot and ankle may provide immediate help. Avoiding barefoot and flat shoes is necessary. Custom molded orthotics (shoe inserts) will immediately help to realign the foot and the entire lower extremity. This will almost overnight eliminate the problem. Physical therapy may also help to decrease overall muscle tightness and to improve muscle strength and coordination. If the foot is flat and associated with tight calf Growing pains are often seen in children who muscles, stretching the calf muscles are excessively flatfooted or whose feet point to in a walking cast is critical to not only the outside. Children may also appear very knock- eliminate the problem but to prevent kneed. Tight calf muscles can not only cause but a recurrence. If the flatfoot deformity significantly aggravate the pain that these children is severe, there is a small percentage of children that will benefit from a are experiencing, especially at night. Leg pain is most commonly seen, especially at procedure to realign and “correct” night after a long day of activity. Pain with activi- the flatfoot. An excellent prognosis is always ties, especially along the inside of the knee, lower leg, ankle and foot, may also be experienced. This seen when the cause is identified and is often associated with a general avoidance of the problem treated.
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Dr. John Goodner is a Board Certified Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Surgeon with the Foot, Ankle and Leg Specialists of South Florida and specializes in sports medicine foot and ankle injuries, foot and ankle arthroscopy, lower extremity trauma, and lower extremity deformities in infants, children, teens and adults. The South Florida Institute of Sports Medicine is located at 17842 NW 2nd St Pembroke Pines, FL 33029-2806 Tel: (954) 430-9901 The practice website is www.SouthFloridaSportsMedicine.com. Instagram @SouthFloridaSportsMedicine and Twitter @SFLSportsMed
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March 2022 / OurCityMedia.com / 35
