Therapeutic massage for hallux valgus and planovalgus deformities of the feet

Treatment of planovalgus foot deformity

The degree of hallux valgus is determined by an orthopedic surgeon. Depending on this and a number of other factors, comprehensive treatment of foot pathology is prescribed, including therapeutic massage. The classic course of massage treatments lasts 2 weeks.

Massage for valgus foot pathology relaxes muscles, stretches and strengthens ligaments, regulates the tone of the muscles of the leg and foot, improving blood circulation in the tissues.

Therapeutic massage for children with a mild degree of the disease should be carried out in courses of 12 procedures; in more severe cases of deformity, the course can last up to 20 procedures. Breaks between courses can be from two to four weeks. That is, at least 4 courses of therapeutic massage are carried out per year.

For adults, a massage course is prescribed individually, and can be carried out at home. Massage treatment is very effective at the first, initial stage of the disease in both children and adults. The only contraindication to the procedure is considered to be varicose veins of the lower extremities, which usually occurs in adults.

Valgus in children: is massage effective?

According to statistics, doctors diagnose foot valgus in childhood quite often. These are far from isolated cases. Although in adults this defect is much more common. In general, the causes and treatment are similar in both cases. But if foot valgus is detected in a child, most often he is prescribed a therapeutic massage. This therapy is very effective. It gives results quickly. Although massage is not so effective for adults.

Causes of hallux valgus in children

Valgus in children occurs for a variety of reasons. But most of them are determined by how the child’s bone apparatus is formed and developed. In an adult, all the bones are strong enough not to be deformed by slight impact. But in childhood, the bone apparatus is not fully formed, and some bones are nothing more than cartilage. They are more vulnerable. It's easy to get a sprain. Although adults also stretch their muscles, they do not stretch them as often as children.

At the same time, an incompletely formed bone apparatus is an advantage. After all, if you have Valgus feet, you can do a massage, and it will show excellent results. Adults will not be able to achieve such a quick effect, again, due to the fact that all the bones are strong and the ligaments are difficult to stretch.

Features of the development of muscles and ligaments in children

In order not to panic and not diagnose foot valgus in each individual case, parents should know that the feet are formed before 3-4 years, and muscles and ligaments - up to 7 years. Therefore, slight deviations before this age are quite normal.

A 3-year-old child's foot may be flat due to the fact that its arch is equipped with a fat pad. If you want to check if this is true or if it is a hallux valgus, have the child stand on a flat, hard surface while you slide your toe under the arch of the foot. If it goes through without difficulty, everything is fine.

How to recognize flat feet?

Foot valgus can be diagnosed independently, at home. But only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. You, as parents, can only express concerns about the baby’s health. As it became clear from the above, the foot can be flat due to the fat layer. But it happens that Valgus is to blame. You can recognize it as follows:

If you look at the child’s heels from behind, it turns out that they are deviated outward from the lobar line of the shin;
If you look at the first shoe, you will see the backs are crooked and you will also notice that it has been worn unevenly.

Causes of Valgus feet in children

There are many reasons why this defect develops in childhood. According to statistics, 3 of them are the most popular:

Rickets;
Weak muscles and ligaments;
Frequent complications of respiratory infections.

Disease prevention

It is possible to reduce the risk of developing flat feet in childhood. To do this, you must follow a number of rules. You can’t swaddle your baby tightly; it’s better if he has room to move his arms and legs. The same goes for clothes - they should be loose, especially socks and rompers. Give preference to soft shoes if you choose them for a baby under 1 year of age.

In principle, there will be no problems if you follow the pediatrician's recommendations. If you have any suspicions, it is better to immediately show the child to a pediatric orthopedist. The doctor will determine whether abnormalities at this age are normal or abnormal.

Massage for Valgus

If your child has Hallux Valgus, don't despair.
The younger he is, the faster the situation can be corrected. Most often, doctors prescribe therapeutic massage. And rightly so. After all, this method is very effective. The massage is complex. The results become obvious incredibly quickly. In addition to massage, therapy includes water procedures and special gymnastics. Another important point is that in order for flat feet to stop developing, you need to constantly strengthen your immune system. Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr

Therapeutic massage for planovalgus foot deformity in an adult

Foot massage for planovalgus foot deformity has its own characteristics and techniques. When performing it, the patient must take into account that changes in the lower extremities begin at the level of the spine, so performing a separate massage of the feet or legs will be useless.

Experts recommend performing massage treatments, starting at least from the lower back (lumbosacral region), then gradually moving on to working the back and front surfaces of the thighs, and at the end of the session, massage the legs and feet themselves.

The doctor may prescribe a specific therapeutic massage technique. But basically, when massaging the legs and feet, the following options are used:

Massage for planovalgus foot deformity begins with the calf muscles, then smoothly moves to the Achilles tendon, ankle joint, then to the sole of the foot. After thoroughly working out the plantar part, they return to massaging the ankle joint, tendons and muscles of the lower leg;
General massage from the knee area, gradually descending to the foot and fingertips. Next, a massage is performed on the outer and inner surfaces of the lower leg, moving to the sole. The procedure ends with an intense massage of the thumb.

When performing a massage for planovalgus foot deformity, the same techniques are used that are used in general massage: kneading, stroking, pressing, squeezing, squeezing, vibration.

Let's go to the doctor's appointment

When your baby begins to take his first steps, you should definitely take him to see an orthopedist. Examination and assessment of gait will show whether there are any problems or development is harmonious. If any problems are discovered, they can be corrected using insoles. In the future, you need to visit an orthopedist every 2 years until you reach school age (unless there are any special indications for more frequent visits). After 7 years, it is advisable to consult a doctor annually, because In schoolchildren, orthopedic problems can be aggravated due to a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular physical activity, wearing heavy backpacks, poor posture, etc. Do not overlook such problems!

School-age children diagnosed with orthopedic problems are also advised to wear personal insoles. They will help both in everyday life, forming the correct gait patterns and preventing the legs from overexerting and the feet from collapsing, and in sports - for those children who participate in various sections and sports schools. The insoles cushion well, reduce the load on the entire musculoskeletal system and keep the feet in the correct position. This is a great help during training!

Contraindications for massage

Important factors that are contraindications to massage in children:

The procedure is prohibited in case of skin rash or general illness of the child , inflammatory processes and high temperature.
You should not massage a child if he is overexcited , as this can lead to muscle hypertonicity and suppressed reflexes.
Massage cannot be performed in acute forms of rickets , in infectious diseases, if there are femoral and umbilical hernias, massage is also prohibited in case of heart disease.
It is not allowed to massage with long nails.

Effect of massage for flat feet

Massage for flat feet has a beneficial effect on the leg muscles, joints and tendons, helps relieve tension, pain, and remove swelling. Exercise helps improve blood circulation and lymph flow in the lower extremities.

Foot massage is recommended to be done before or after recreational gymnastics. Also, doctors advise periodically giving warm baths to your feet. All procedures significantly help fight the disease, both in the initial and deep stages. But it should be borne in mind that different types of flat feet require knowledge of the appropriate techniques and massage techniques.

Degrees of development of flat feet

Patients, depending on the severity of the deformity, are additionally given different degrees of flat feet:

I degree – hardly noticeable. With it, the baby feels a slight pain in the feet at the end of the day, their ligaments become weaker, and the height of the arch remains almost unchanged.
Stage II has a number of serious symptoms: the foot becomes flatter, the child experiences severe discomfort when walking, not only the feet hurt, but also the ankle joint and knees.
III degree. At this stage, movement becomes painful and unbearable, and the ankle joints become swollen. As a result of unnatural walking, the bones in the child’s knees and pelvis change.

Degrees of longitudinal flatfoot

A set of exercises for the treatment of hallux valgus

The set of exercises for hallux valgus deformity is simple. It is necessary not only and not so much in order to strengthen weakened foot muscles with hallux valgus, but, first of all, to maintain joint mobility. Otherwise, you can get a beautiful, but completely immobile metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe. Ideally, the exercises should be shown by a qualified physical therapy doctor or rehabilitation specialist, and the first few times they should be monitored for correct execution. But if this is not possible, you will have to do it yourself.

Sit in a cross-legged position so that the ankle of your operated leg rests on your knee and your big toe can be easily reached with your hands. Grasp it as close to the operated joint as possible. Gently move your finger upward until you feel resistance and pain. Hold it in this position for 10 seconds, release it, allowing it to relax. Repeat 3 times.
Similarly, holding the thumb as close to the operated joint as possible, tilt it down toward the foot until pain appears. Hold for 10 seconds, release. Repeat 3 times.
Place a rubber ball with a diameter of 10-15 centimeters on the floor and place your foot on it. Slowly, while rolling over the ball, move your leg forward, try to pull your foot and fingers towards you. Roll back. Repeat 3 times.

This set of exercises for hallux valgus should be repeated 3 times a day for the first 3-4 weeks after surgery. At 5-6 weeks, the frequency of exercises increases to 7-8 per day. From week 7, a weight-bearing exercise is added, which helps strengthen the muscles of the operated foot.

Features of the pathology

With plano-valgus deformity, the support of the foot falls on the inner part, that is, the heels and toes are shifted to the outer sides. And the inner part of the foot collapses inward, as a result of which the inner convex bones can even touch if you put your feet together. At the same time, flattening of the foot itself may occur, which indicates the development of flat feet in the child.

As a result of such deformation, the support falls not on the heel and the space under the toes, but on a significant part of the foot. This leads to excessive tension in the ligaments and joints, the knee joint being particularly affected. In the future, this leads to valgus deformation of the thumb and the formation of characteristic “bumps”.

The main symptoms of hallux valgus:

Almost complete absence of longitudinal internal arch.
When the knees are tightly squeezed and straightened, the inner distance between the ankles exceeds 4–5 cm.
In a standing position, an X-shaped position of the feet is observed. The inner part “collapses”.

In 4 weeks

By the end of 4 weeks after surgery to correct hallux valgus, a control radiograph is taken. After this, with the doctor’s permission, you can change your orthopedic shoes to regular ones, but they must be comfortable and well-worn in. For now, you need to watch your gait, stepping on an even foot and not rolling over the big toe joint. You should not lean on the outer edge of the foot or “clubfoot” - this increases the load on the 4-5 metatarsal bones and metatarsophalangeal joints, which soon begin to hurt. Be sure to continue the set of recommended exercises. If swelling persists, you need to wear compression garments. Another two weeks will pass like this.

After 7-8 weeks and beyond

Starting from the 7th week after hallux valgus surgery, you can no longer control your gait and move normally, with your foot rolling over the big toe joint.

At the end of the 8th week, X-ray control is recommended - a picture of the once valgus foot under load - and you can then live your normal life. Swelling during this period is normal; it can persist for more than six months, it all depends on the state of the patient’s venous and lymphatic systems.

You can play sports after six months. The load on the upper body can be given earlier - literally a month after the operation, but full-fledged sports involving the legs are possible only with the permission of the doctor and no earlier than 6 months after the operation.

Massage devices

One of the popular means for the prevention and treatment of flat feet is an orthopedic mat:

Its surface is covered with convexities of different sizes and shapes. The child can play on it, stand or do therapeutic exercises.
Thanks to its uneven shape, the mat massages the baby's feet and improves blood circulation.
Since doctors do not recommend that children diagnosed with flat feet stay on a flat surface for a long time, an orthopedic mat is a necessary part of the treatment complex.

Types of massage mats

Other equally useful devices:

A worthy analogue of an orthopedic one is a textured ball. This is a small ball, usually with a spiky surface. The spikes help improve blood circulation and the ball shape helps develop joints and flexibility in the foot. Balls with a diameter of up to 50 cm and medium-long spikes are best suited for children.
Mechanical foot massagers are effective in the fight against flat feet They are an abacus with teeth. The massager, through its uneven surface, acts on the acupuncture points of the foot, thereby having a beneficial effect on the entire body.
Electric massagers are great helpers in the fight against flat feet. Their principle of operation is not only acupuncture massage using rollers, but also infrared heating, which helps to further improve blood flow to the legs, relieve stress, fatigue and enhance the effect of treatment.

Massage for the prevention of flat feet

To prevent the occurrence of flat feet, it is recommended to give the child a preventive massage immediately from birth. It must be long-lasting and regular.

For proper development of the legs, it is recommended to do the following massage techniques:

Rub the plantar part with the edge of your palm from the heel to the toes.
Stretch the spaces between your fingers.
Fix your leg at the ankle and turn your foot in a circular motion, alternately left and right.

Preventive massage

Causes of hallux valgus

There are two forms of planovalgus deformity – congenital and acquired:

The congenital problem is associated with improper bone formation during intrauterine development.
Acquired deformity develops due to disturbances in the development of the ligamentous and tendon apparatus. This can be caused by improperly selected shoes, rickets, injuries, childhood obesity, etc.

In addition, the acquired form can develop even in an adult. For example, the problem often occurs in women who prefer high heels or have problems with excess weight.

Regardless of the cause and form of the disease, treatment will be required. In the absence of adequate treatment, hallux valgus can lead to poor posture, curvature of the ankle and knee joints, as well as the development of arthrosis and osteoporosis.

Photo: Yandex.Pictures

What is flat feet?

Flatfoot is a curvature of the shape of the foot, in which the transverse and longitudinal arches are greatly lowered. The bend plays an important role in distributing the load on the spine and performs a shock-absorbing function when walking. Flat feet may only be normal in infants.

Children's feet are formed before the age of 12, and any deviation from the norm is considered correctable. When a child begins to walk and at the same time feel pain, this is the first alarming sign of the disease.

Appearance of a flat foot