The child's foot is misaligned

Valgus with flat feet is often a congenital disorder, and heredity is an important factor. If the mother or father have similar problems, there is a good chance that the child will be born with the same problem.

11 months: Abnormalities in the development of the child. Stand without a leg

Standing unsteadily is a skill that develops at an average age of 11 months, but the age range for this skill is very large. Some particularly fast developing babies can learn to stand by themselves as early as 9 months, while the vast majority don't discover this ability until 11 months. Don't be alarmed, however, if children take their time and don't acquire this skill until they are 14 months old. It is often the babies who start speaking early and quickly who have good fine motor skills.

In order to be able to stand upright and free, the muscles must be well trained and have the right tension. It is equally important that children learn to feel their feet. If the ankles are too flexible, children find it difficult to stand on them. After consultation with a physiotherapist, it may be necessary to exceptionally fit children's shoes, even if they are not yet able to walk, to give the ankles the necessary support.

Peculiarities at the age of 11 months

The final steps—crawling, sitting up, and getting up on a crutch—become more and more natural. The muscles become stronger and the movements are better coordinated. The child climbs stairs and overcomes obstacles with ease, and there is no stopping them from moving and exploring.

Things on shelves or on chests of drawers that were previously out of reach arouse the child's curiosity. It pulls itself up, spreads its legs, sticks out its stomach and now holds on with only one hand. The other can play completely freely.

The standing position requires practice and stabilization. To do this, the child swings up and down and to the right and left. This shifting of body weight from side to side is known as 'flank navigation'. If the child is holding on to a piece of furniture and a toy is passed from behind, the child may roll over:

But how is the child supposed to get back down? It either screams until someone comes to its rescue, or it just falls to the ground. There is usually no other option.

The first 'attempts to walk' begin with arms and legs. After mastering the position on all fours, the child tries what is known as the bear pose:

To do this, the child stretches its legs and lifts its buttocks upwards. It can walk for a short time and then returns to the crawling stand. Soon, however, your child will be able to walk longer and longer distances in the bear pose. This type of movement strengthens the core and leg muscles and improves arm-leg coordination.

The child takes its first steps in an upright position along the side of the furniture. Later, a smooth wall will suffice as a support.

Free-hand stance is achieved randomly when the child is distracted and lets go of both hands. Suddenly he stands free (unsupported by his hands), although he does not yet feel secure, standing with flexed fingers and slumped shoulders. Standing with an object in hand, e.g. B. a mixing spoon, becomes easier; the child only has the feeling of holding on to the support:

Why do anomalies occur?

The main causes of foot deformities in children include:

• defects of prematurity (shortened bones, ankle joint deformities);
• Increased pressure on the feet;
• CEREBRAL PALSY;
• Poliomyelitis;
• injuries to the legs;
• Common infectious diseases.

Orthopedic shoes are used to correct curvatures. Unlike ordinary shoes, they help distribute the load when walking, improve the cushioning properties of the feet and help eliminate pain.

Many parents wonder whether orthopedic shoes can also be worn by healthy children. It is advisable to consult a doctor to be sure that no damage occurs. Only a professional can make the right decision. If there are indications of anomalies in the musculoskeletal system of the feet, he prescribes orthopedic prophylactic shoes for children. These do not look different from normal shoes on the outside, but they help to keep the lower limbs healthy.

What diseases lead to foot deformities?

The most common pathologies of the lower limbs in children include:

• Clubfoot - this is a congenital condition. It results from excessive pressure of the uterus on the fetus or from infectious diseases that occur during the first trimester. It manifests itself in the forefoot collapsing when moving inwards.
• It is not diagnosed before the age of 6. In young children, the feet are actively formed and often have a slight curvature that is not abnormal. Flattening of the longitudinal arches, transverse arches, or both arches indicates the presence of a pathology;
• Valgus deformity is manifested by an increase in the distance between the ankles, when the knees are tightly squeezed, to 40-50 mm. The axis of the foot is curved and the ankles form an X. With valgus deformities in children, the soles of shoes wear out unevenly. Inadequate treatment often leads to curvature of the spine.
• The varus condition is characterized by inward tilting of the heels and a narrowing of the distance between the ankles; the feet take an O-shape. The outer parts of the feet carry most of the load when walking. Children with this condition cannot walk or jump well.

Types of foot deformities

Foot malpositions can have different characteristics depending on the deformation of the transverse or longitudinal arch of the foot. A distinction is made between congenital and acquired anomalies. Congenital clubfoot is often caused by a lack of certain substances in the expectant mother's diet. Environmental influences such as chemical air pollutants, radioactivity and radiation from electronic devices can also have a negative impact on fetal skeletal malformations.

The type of deformity is divided into flatfoot and clubfoot. In the former, physical stress is redistributed to the inner edges of the foot, while in the latter, the main cushioning load is shifted to the outer planes. Clubfoot can occur transversely, longitudinally or in combination. Clubfoot is most commonly caused by vitamin D deficiency and the development of rickets.

Clubfoot in a child

In orthopedic practice, valgus deformity in children is very often the result of congenital anomalies and defects in the formation of the skeletal and muscular apparatus of the lower limbs. This deformity is very easy to spot:

• The transverse muscle layer is underdeveloped and not pronounced;
• the heel bone is turned outwards;
• When walking, the entire load is distributed over the longitudinal muscle arch;
• the toes are spread and point towards the little toe.

The valgus position of the feet quickly leads to a characteristic X-shaped curvature of the lower limbs. This is clearly visible in children as young as 2 years old.

Correction should be started as early as possible, ideally before the child begins to walk independently. Special chiropractic techniques are used to strengthen the longitudinal arch of the foot and specific muscle groups in the lower limbs and thigh. This encourages the natural process of correct foot alignment.

What to do if the child's foot is not in the right position when walking?

If you find that your child's foot is unusually stiff, the first thing you should do is see a specialist. The orthopedist will perform a series of diagnostic tests, examine your child's foot and make an accurate diagnosis. It is very difficult to diagnose a valgus foot at home alone, since there are various combined deformities that partially compensate each other and for which it is difficult to diagnose.

Only a doctor can tell you what to do to correct them and whether you should use special insoles. Incidentally, orthoses and shoes with orthopedic properties have recently become a real marketing nuisance for today's children. Moms buy them such models without consulting an orthopedist. The child may be perfectly healthy but is forced to wear shoes with corrective insoles designed to correct flat feet. As a result, the child has a deformed foot.

Don't fall for marketing tricks. Orthopedic shoes can only be prescribed by an orthopedic doctor after a diagnostic examination. If your child has a correct foot position, they do not need special shoes. Unfortunately, if the foot's alignment isn't correct, insoles alone won't solve the problem.

Only a special correction program can help. This program includes massage, acupuncture, osteopathy and physiotherapy. Our chiropractic clinic has specific techniques to effectively correct all types of postural defects.

Make an appointment for a free consultation. We invite you to visit an orthopedist. Find out if your kids have correct walking and running posture.

Doctor of medicine, chief physician of the clinic

Possibilities for the treatment of valgus deformities in children

Treatment of a valgus deformity should begin with a visit to a qualified podiatrist. The doctor will assess the degree of curvature, listen carefully to the symptoms and make a diagnosis.

In the case of slight deformations, the following measures are usually sufficient:

– The wearing of special orthopedic shoes is prescribed. Some parents may not like it because of the quirky look, but manufacturers nowadays make baby shoes that are quite modern and very cute. Also, the little patient doesn't have to walk in them all his life; the most important thing is that the firm back and a well-fitting orthopedic insole get the job done: after a while, mom and dad will appreciate how much softer baby's feet were.

– You should definitely take advantage of a couple of massages. It is advisable to have an experienced massage therapist do some exercises with the child to encourage the development of the foot muscles. Parents can also learn how to do such massages at home.

– Massage the feet with pine extracts and sea salt. This relaxes your child's legs and relieves muscle and ligament tension.

– Provide individual massage mats or make your own. Walking on a flat floor will not improve the situation, but on the contrary will aggravate it.

- Do gymnastics classes and daily exercises to correct your child's foot position. Alternatively, try attending therapeutic exercise classes.

How to make a home massage mat?

You can buy children's foot massage mats in specialty stores where orthopedic shoes are also sold. But you can also try making your own foot massage mat.

Take a heavy fabric for example: felt, denim or whatever you have at home. Sew different sized buttons to the edge of the fabric, then use a furniture stapler to secure the mat to the floor so it won't wrinkle or move when your child steps on it. It is best to fix such a rug on a wooden floor, because furniture clips do not stick to tiles.

You can also use soft tiles in the form of a puzzle. Try using a hot glue gun to stick smooth sea rocks, glass aquarium rocks, beans, or large coffee beans on top. Soft curling irons that ladies use to style while they sleep are also suitable for a prevention mat.

Walking on the ground, grass and sand is a good way to prevent valgus. Take your child to the country or on a vacation to the sea in the summer.

How do you know that your child can already walk and climb?

1 All parents should be aware that every child is unique and should not imitate the children of neighbors and friends. In the vast majority of cases, the child begins to stand and walk at the same age as the parents.

2. A child is only ready to stand after sitting and crawling for a long time. These motor skills are necessary to strengthen the bones and muscular cortex and to develop a sense of balance. The answer to the question - at what age can a child be put on its feet? The answer is: at the earliest at the age of ten to nine months. This is the age when almost all children have acquired these skills.

3 The constitutional characteristics of the child must be taken into account. Slim children are lighter on their feet than fat children because they put less strain on their leg joints and spine.

4. If the child suffered a congenital trauma that resulted in defects in neurodevelopment, there is a high probability that the child will develop motor skills later.

5. The child should be actively supported in getting up when it begins to sit up on its own in the bed by leaning on the blanket.

Answers to the most frequently asked questions

1) Can a one month old baby be euthanized?

There is absolutely no need for it. At a month, the baby is just beginning to hold his head up well. His neck muscles are only sufficiently strengthened. The other back muscles are weak and underdeveloped. The baby has no sense of balance and the bones of the pelvis and feet are weak. They are not yet able to support their own weight in an upright position. This early forced lifting eventually leads to the development of flat feet, scoliosis of the thoracic and lumbar spine, and hip deformities.

Only the pediatrician can get the child to its feet, holding it by the armpits and checking the child's innate reflexes. Up until about three months of age, the baby has an unconditioned walking reflex. As soon as the child is raised and put on its feet, it begins to take small steps. This is a sign of the normal development of the child's nervous system and does not mean that the child will soon be able to stand and walk independently.

2) Is there a difference when a baby is put on its feet?

There is absolutely no difference. A girl and a boy can be kicked at the same age. When a child starts to stand or walk independently does not depend on gender, but only on their physical development and the hereditary factors inherited from their parents. If a child does not start standing and walking until the age of one year, it is unreasonable to expect them to be able to walk by the age of ten months.

3) When can a child be put on a baby walker?

A child can only be placed on a baby walker when it begins to pull itself up in the cot and support itself in the parents' arms. This is the case at the earliest at the age of ten to eleven months. Baby walkers are good in that the child doesn't fall in them, but many European and national paediatricians feel that they put extra strain on the child's spine and legs. It is therefore not recommended to sit in it for more than two hours a day.

Where do flat feet come from?

Doctors have different explanations for the appearance of flat feet: some attribute it to heredity, others to poor nutrition, unsuitable footwear, little physical activity or, on the contrary, excessive stress on the feet. The main cause is abnormal physical development in early childhood..

Often the emergence of 'flat feet often encouraged by the parents themselvesThey want their child to learn to walk as quickly as possible. Take your time: the child will stand up and start walking on their own when their body is ready. A toddler's ligaments are flexible, their muscles aren't strong enough, and their bones aren't strong yet.

• sedentary activity sedentary lifestyle;
• overweightwhich represents an unnecessary load on the musculoskeletal system;
• Calcium and vitamin D deficiency – Elements necessary for normal bone formation and growth.

The foot does not form properly when the child wear shoes for a long period of time basically and especially when these shoes don't fit - too tight or too wide, too loose.

This is how you can check if your child has flat feet

• Ask your child to stand on their toes. If this creates a normal hollow in the foot, everything is fine.
• Make a fun game with your child: smear some gouache on their feet and let them walk on a piece of felt paper, leaving footprints. A normal impression has an indentation on the inside. If you have any doubts after playing, consult an orthopedist.
• Often mothers of children up to the age of 3 think that their child has flat feet. The fact is that children of this age have a pad of fat on the arches of their feet. Visually, it looks as if the foot is flat. How can you check? Lay your child on a hard surface and try to tuck your toe under the inside edge of the foot. If the toe goes through freely, it's just a big 'cushion'.

So if by the age of 3 your child has flat feet but no signs of heel turning inwards, the child does not complain of leg pain and does not constantly ask to be held, it is not one Illness.

Peculiarities of the buttock injection

Injections into the buttocks are made exclusively in certain parts of the body, where it is absolutely necessary to have sufficient muscle tissue and at the same time not to be close to nerve cords and blood vessels. For this reason, the muscles of the thighs, arms and buttocks are ideal.

Despite the immediate distribution of the drug from the deltoid muscle of the arm, most injections are made in the buttocks because that's where the greatest amount of muscle tissue is. This is very important when a therapeutic injection procedure needs to be performed.

The question often arises as to how to carry out an injection correctly, which syringe size and which needle diameter or which needle length should be used in a specific case. As for the needle, it must penetrate very deeply into the muscle, that is, with a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, its length should be chosen from 6 cm, with a small and medium layer of subcutaneous fat – 4 cm.

During intramuscular injection, a number of aseptic and antiseptic principles must be observed to avoid the risk of infection for the patient:

1. Taking into account the type of manipulation, the patient is placed in a suitable position.
2. The nurse disinfects the hands and puts on sterile disposable gloves.
3. The integrity of the injection ampoule and the sterility of the syringe and needle are then checked.

The injection site is selected.

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