For many children, flat feet are normal and the issue usually corrects itself over time as the muscles begin to stretch and the soft tissues stiffen up. In a lot of cases, flat feet will fix themselves by the time your child is nine.
However, there are some instances where flat feet do not correct themselves, which can have several effects.
If your child has started to experience any of these symptoms, you should consider getting their feet checked by a podiatrist:
- Joint pain
- Unusual or incorrect walking pattern
- Muscle weakness or exhaustion
- Poor foot development
Occasionally, flat feet can cause a significant amount of pain when your child is walking or running. If you have noticed that your child is in some or a lot of pain when they are walking, you should get their feet checked by a podiatrist.