3 Yr Old Needs Orthotics for Pronation

Hi there,
I have a different situation but an amazing result. My son's feet roll as well. And the therapists say that he needs braces for years! ugh.
BUT I took him to a muscle therapist last week and in one visit she straightened out his legs and feet and is standing perfectly!
We are so excited and amazed that how an over tight muscle can throw everything off.
Just a thought.
Good luck!
C.

Hi M.,

My brother and I both wore orthotics as children. My feet were corrected and have never caused a problem. My brothers have never been "normal" but it seems that it has only been a real problem for him when he was doing very competitive sports, like football. I hope this might help you!

Hi M.,

I totally understand being hesitant about the need for the procedure on his ankle, but I don't understand resisting the orthotics. Unless money is that tight??

Think of the orthotics as preventative care. They will help him avoid the problem becoming more serious and maybe even help him outgrow it. If a child has always had a low level of pain, that gets slowly and progressively worse, he is not going to be able to understand or express that. It will be "normal" to him.

I had to wear orthotic shoes as a child. When I was a toddler I was put to bed wearing shoes with a bar connecting them. When I was in kindergarten I had a cast on one leg. My feet are still a bit pronated, but I was able to stop wearing orthotic shoes around the time I hit puberty. And I'm sure they have a better treatment/technology these days. (I'm 41.)

I would take the podiatrist's advice. Since you'd have to go back to get the orthotics anyway, you could take the opportunity to see a different doctor to get a second opinion.

It's hard when you disagree with your spouse about medical treatments... Good luck!

-D.

I would recommend orthotics for one reason-posture. This is the time that posture will be determined for the rest of your son's life and it begins with the feet. Orthotics will make sure that he will have proper posture and avoid back problems in the future. With the size and weight of backpacks these days, you want to make sure that his posture is correct before he starts school and begins to carry weight like that. Maybe if you put it that way with your husband, he will come around.

T.

Hi M.,
I would get a second opinion, and consult with an adult podiatrist as well. My son had pronated feet (as do I) which were treated with casts when he was pre-walking and orthopedic shoes as a toddler, and seemed to do well, but later on in life when he became interested in track he had a hard time with his knees and ended up having to give it up. His ortopedic surgeon said that he had not had the right treatment for his feet when he was little, and that was largely the problem.

Messed up feet lead to knee problems in later life. I know, I have that as well. So, again, I would talk to an adult orthopedic surgeon who treats the whole body not just the feet and see what he/she thinks. When the feet are crooked they tweak the knees, and the knees pay for it later in life.

good luck!

M.,
I can tell you my experience with my son and pronation. I noticed he had flatter feet than normal when he was a toddler and the pediatrician didn't think it was a problem since he did not have any signs of pain or trouble running, walking, balance, etc. When he reached the age of 16 he all of a sudden started to experience horrible back pain and knee pain. We of course took him to the doctor and then to specialists and the problem was with his feet- pronation. He needed orthotics as well as some physical therapy to get him out of pain. To this day he still wears the orthotics and continues to do the stretches that the physical therapist gave him to do on a daily basis to control the pain. He is 20 now. He almost missed an entire season of high school football due to the pain which could have been avoided if he had just been diagnosed properly by a specialist in his early years. My advice is to get the orthotics as well as monitor him. The more active a person is the more they will feel pain and have problems as they get older and as their body grows and matures. With proper devices, therapy, and monitoring of growth the less likely a child will experience severe pain. My son could barely stand to walk at one point! Good luck.
Deborah

When my daughter was at the physical therapist after her second bad sprain....
And take it from there.
Bottom line is, if only we had met your doctor when my daughter was three maybe she wouldn't need the orthotics now, at nineteen, and for the rest of her life.
The proverb is "penny wise, pound foolish."
Get the kid the orthotics now, while they can help him lay down foot growth, and pattern correct foot placement, for hte rest of his life.

What is it with MEN??? "...and watch for signs of pain." Why not just take the doctor's advice (and/or get a second opinion) and avoid even the slightest chance the child may have to experience pain. Once he is experiencing pain, you have to UNDO the damage waiting has done. If hubby wants "data suggesting they would help," he could talk with the doctors (and read the responses here). That is what doctors do - suggest treatment. Situations like this do not improve with time. I am 71 YEARS OLD and have worn orthotics for many years. If I do not wear them for a while, I EXPERIENCE PAIN. Duh -- If they DON'T work, then you do something else. Sorry to be so blunt, but someone needs to.

Tell your pediatrician what the problem is, and ask her to recommend something for your husband to read, or ask her to speak directly to him about the preventative function of orthotics. It sounds like he's penny wise but pound foolish.

I honestly cannot understand why not go for the orthotics, Its not like he will have an operation, or something that is totally irreversibe.

Podiatry has come a long way in 20 years, and if I had been offered at 3 years old to get orthotics, for less than $100 to save my feet then I would have been saved literally thousands of dollars as an adult. You are lucky he is a boy and not a girl because boys shoes are broad and comfortable.

I have about 3 pairs of shoes because I hate buying shoes because nothing fits and they are all uncomfortable. I have had orthotics for 20 years, and without them I would have back and knee problems My daughter also wears orthotics, and they help with foot pain as she pronates too. The only shoes I ever get for my kids (and myself) now are New Balance because they have so much more technology in kid's shoes than any other manufacturer.

Sure orthotics are shoe size specific and you will have to get new ones when he outgrows them. But you have to buy him new shoes too when he outgrows them, right, and clothes, its a normal part of being a child. My advice is don't skimp now because he will be the one regretting it later.

Regards, P.

Dear M.,

If I were you, I would go with the orthotics. I have had a pronation problem all my life that was not treated when I was a child. Now I have painful arch problems (plantar fasciatis) and associated knee problems that have to be treated by a chiropractor. My oldest son, by contrast, had the problem as a youngster and we treated it with orthotics for several years. Now he doesn't really have any problems with his feet (no more orthotics) and even ran cross-country for four years in high school. It is a good preventive choice, and with 80% coverage on your insurance, not even that expensive.

Good luck.

Hi M., Just an FYI. I have an 11 year old boy with flat feet. The doctor only suggested shoe inserts last year. When my son was little he never complained. By the time he was eight we were in full swing with foot discomfort from sports. Now he does play a lot of sports, baseball, football, basketball and just being an active kid. All these activities require different shoes, cleats, high tops, etc... The doctor suggested over the counter shoe inserts until his feet stop growing (mens size 8 1/2 at almost 12). Then we will pay the big bucks! We just recently watched the program Pitchmen and he saw Impact Gel shoe inserts. We ordered them and they have really helped more than anything we have purchased at the drug store. If you have an active sports kid, please remember this when he is older. My son has a very difficult time finding comfortable shoes and usually has to try on multiple styles of Nike's. His foot is also very skinny. Shoe shopping is not a fun experience. We need new shoes every 3 to 4 months due to growth and wear and tear. NOT CHEAP!!! If I could have helped him in the past and knew the info you have I would have. Get the orthotics, whether they work or not at least you can say you tried! Your post makes me upset with my child's doctor because if I knew there was an option to possibly help him I would have. If you or your husband could see the pain in my child's eyes after a sports game you would understand. When he was little he did wear high top (basketball style) shoes all the time and currently still prefers them as school shoes, your son may benefit from them as they do keep your ankles from rolling in. A visit to Shriners Hospital couldn't hurt as another opinion to help your child on his path. I hope this info helps! Best wishes, C.

I have this problem. As a child it was never corrected and now as an adult my hips, knees, and feet do not line up (If I try to make my feet point forward my hips and knees point in...kind of like if a normal person tried to turn their feet totally in, which is pretty painful itself), making many sports activities difficult (and even painful). It is never painful to walk just normally, but like I said, any type of running, skiing, etc. is very painful to my knees and hips. If I don't wear my orthotics it also causes a lot of pain to my arches (especially when I run). If the doctor says they can fix your son before he gets to the point I'm at, go for it and don't think twice. Your son will thank you for it later!!

M.,
Since your son is only 3 years old I would make sure I get a 2nd opinion from a pediatric orthopedist who specializes in foot/ankle or the lower extremity or a podiatrist that specializes in pediatrics. Your son may only need supportive shoes and some physical therapy for flexibility and strength, so you want to make sure you explore all options before doing anything drastic. I don't know where you are located but Oakland Children's Hospital has some great physicians and an amazing Physical Therapy department. Good luck!

C. B Palmer
www.linabean.myarbonne.com

I recently took my 22 month old to a podiatrist because I noticed her feet were flat and pronated. She gets it from both sides of the family and I know what problems my husband and my aunt have had with their feet (her feet look just like my aunt's). She has been wearing orthotics about 7 weeks now. It's too soon to see a difference. My feeling is that I want to treat this problem as soon as possible and hopefully be able to correct it before she gets very old and in to sports and such. I've had a bit of a difficult time finding summer shoes for her to wear them easily in, but her tennis shoes are perfect and she has not complained at all. The podiatrist suggested putting velcro in her shoes, which has helped keep them in place when putting them on, but she is still able to pull them out.

At the very least, I would get him into some very sturdy shoes with excellent support. Now. He has only got a couple of years where you can easily correct this problem. Even if it isn't painful now he may have other problems later in life so you want to do everything you can now to correct this while you can so there are no regrets later.

Hello,

I have two athletic kids in their teens with foot problems. I don't know if having had orthotics when they were toddlers would have helped, but I'm guessing it would have. All three of my kids wear orthotics now (and have for over 5 years). The orthotics have been incredibly important in helping prevent back pain, leg pain, foot pain and injury. I wish I'd started them younger.

I would highly recommend investing the time to take him to sacramento to the Shriner's Hospital there. all treatment is free, and they are experts. their number is ###-###-#### my son wears an orthotic lift in his right shoe and it has done wonders for the way he walks, runs, and maintains balance. he was born with a club foot on the right and has had several surgeries at shriners and in the last two years has been wearing the lift as his ankle really needed the support even though he said his ankle didnt bother him and he could run, etc okay. it would be worth the drive to get an expert opinion. good luck !!

When my daughter was 2 yrs, she wore AFO's (ankle/foot orthotics) for five months before she out grew them. They were a HUGE help with her ankles and foot development. We got them from Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics and our insurance helped with the cost. We also got strong, stable tennis shoes designed for the AFO's.

If you decide not to get orthotics, then make sure you spend the money are really good shoes. Don't get cheap shoes from Walmart. Go to a specialty shoe store or Stride Rite, at least. Folsom Outlet mall has a Stride Rite store with great deals.

If you want a different opinion, take your son to a chiropractor and find out how his back and spine are being affected. Although your son may not know enough to know what's normal, a chiro will be able to tell if the spine is aligned properly.

Kenny Family Chiropractic in Danville (http://www.kennychiro.com/) and Dr. Handloff in Capitola (http://capitolachiropractor.com/index.php/chiropractorsan...) are the two Dr.s I'm familiar with and both are great with kids. (Dr. Handloff is my cousin :) and I am a current patient with Dr. Kenny)

Hi M.,

We're going through the same thing with my nine year old daughter. Due to expense, and rapid foot growth, we are going to use over the counter pads until she reaches maturity. I have an appt. in Morgan Hill at the Foot Solutions store to get her fitted for arch support - true they will not be as good as a custom one, but I'm hopoing with a well built shoe and support, it will get her through - if not, we will go to a custom support, but are going to try this first.
J.

At the very least I would check with a podiatrist. If this is something that will have long lasting affects and/or pain for my son I would pay $1000 if I had to, but I think it is worthwhile to have an expert give you the real facts. I don't think your husband is an expert...no offense to him.