so , there is a natural reduction in heel eversion from the stage of early walkers to 5-6 years old but obesity can prevent proper development of arches . Obese children have feet that must bear much more weight and therefore are flattened and widened out . They may experience foot pain along the bottom of the feet , including pain in the heel . Orthotics may help reduce pain and up until about the age of 9 , some changes in structure can be obtained this way .
Joint pain : Since children grow at faster rates during childhood than in young adulthood , misalignment in joints can grow into bigger issues that cause pain from the
bottom to the top of the leg . Obese children ’ s weight can cause joints to slip out of place and grow incorrectly . As the misaligned joints try to bear the weight , it causes children pain .
Blount ’ s Disease : This condition happens when there is a bowing of the legs and improper development of the ankles due to obesity . If spotted early enough in the child , the issue may be corrected with orthotics and therapy , but later on it would require stronger measures and possibly even surgery .
While it makes sense to many that being overweight causes arches to flatten , there is
CHILDHOOD OBESITY - FOOT / JOINT HEALTH
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FLAT FEET Flat feet ( also called pes planus or fallen arches ) is a postural deformity in which the arches of the foot collapse , with the entire sole of the foot coming into complete or near-complete contact with the ground . Some individuals ( an estimated 20 – 30 % of the general population ) have an arch that simply never develops in one foot ( unilaterally ) or both feet ( bilaterally ).
44 Pedorthic Footcare Association www . pedorthics . org