Flat feet facts for kids

The term flat feet (also called a fallen arch) refers to when human foot arches are very low or the entire sole of the human foot is touching the ground. Flat feet for children usually become regular arches later on. Adults with this condition may have problems involving arch development. The opposite, less common condition is called High arch.

Images for kids

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  Foot with a typical arch

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  Flat feet of a child are usually expected to develop into high or proper arches, as shown by feet of the mother.

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  A woman in her thirties dorsiflexes, showing an absence of arches, over-pronated navicular and hallux valgus in the toes typically associated with flat feet.

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  Flatfoot in a 55-year-old female with ankle and knee arthritis.

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  Acquired Flat foot deformity with clinical soft tissue swelling.

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  Lateral X-ray of a flat foot with C-sign, which is a bony bridge between the talar dome and sustentaculum tali, in combination with a prominent inferior border of the sustentaculum tali. This represents a talocalcaneal coalition, which is an abnormal connection between the talus and calcaneus, and is thought to cause the flat foot deformity in this case.

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  Dorsoplantar projectional radiograph of the foot showing the measurement of the talonavicular coverage angle.

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  Weight-bearing lateral X-ray showing the measurement of calcaneal pitch, which is an angle of the calcaneus and the inferior aspect of the foot, with different sources giving different reference points. A calcaneal pitch of less than 17° or 18° indicates flat feet.

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  Same lateral X-ray showing the measurement of Meary's angle, which is the angle between the long axis of the talus and first metatarsal bone. An angle greater than 4° convex downward is considered a flat foot, 15° - 30° moderate flat foot, and greater than 30° severe flat foot.

See also

In Spanish: Pie plano para niños