Orthopedic shoes for hallux valgus for children: types, how to choose correctly

For hallux valgus in children, wearing orthopedic shoes is often the best treatment option. The use of such sandals, shoes, and boots helps restore the normal shape of the foot and its function, strengthen the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. A children's orthopedist will help you choose insoles and special shoes with rigid lateral fixation of the foot and heel, as well as instep support, which reduces the load when walking.

Causes of foot deformities

In orthopedics, a distinction is made between acquired and congenital hallux valgus. The latter occurs due to intrauterine disturbances in the shape of the foot and incorrect location of its bone structures. This deformation is detected in children immediately after birth or in the first months of life. The most severe birth defects are rocker foot and vertical ramus.

The causes of acquired hallux valgus are imperfection of ligaments, tendons, and some deviations in the development of the musculoskeletal system. Such defects are diagnosed in a child by 12 months, when he begins to take his first steps. The feet of children usually suffer from deformation with reduced muscle tone.

Valgus deformity of the feet.

This condition of skeletal muscles can be caused by the following factors:

prematurity of the child;
intrauterine hypotrophy;
joint hypermobility;
frequent diseases of ARVI, bronchitis, pneumonia.

Weakness of ligaments, muscles, and bones always accompanies the course of rickets and neuromuscular diseases, which include polio, polyneuropathy, cerebral palsy, and myodystrophy.

Disease prevention

You should worry about preventing orthopedic problems before they appear, since some diseases provoke pathologies in children. In addition, the tendency to hallux valgus can be inherited.

Risk groups include:

Weakened, premature babies;
Infants of the first year of life who have had pneumonia, ARVI;
Children with signs of rickets.

That is why parents should monitor the condition of the child’s feet, especially if the expectant mother did not receive enough calcium, vitamins, or did not spend enough time in the fresh air.

It is no secret that the musculoskeletal system of a child proportionally depends on the intake of vitamins and minerals into the body of the expectant mother.

To reduce the risk of hallux valgus, the following measures are necessary:

Adequate nutrition during pregnancy.
Monitoring the course of pregnancy.
Prevention of rickets in an infant: breastfeeding, receiving foods containing calcium and phosphorus from 8 to 9 months of age.
Consumption of fish oil to improve the absorption of vitamin D.
Special gymnastics for legs.
Foot massage.
The baby should walk barefoot more often: on sand or pebbles on the beach and other uneven surfaces.
For the first steps, purchase shoes with closed toes and non-slip soles, with a mandatory heel lift. For children under 1 year old, a heel of 0.5 - 0.7 cm is recommended, after two years - 10 - 15 mm.
Biking. To ensure the prevention of flat feet and hallux valgus, the child should ride a bicycle in socks or shoes with flexible soles.
A massage mat is an excellent therapeutic device for flat feet in children, as well as the formation of hallux valgus.
The Swedish ladder is a simple way to prevent orthopedic problems. During classes, stay close to the child, protecting him from falling.

Some parents try to teach their baby to walk earlier, and starting from 7 months they “lead” the child, supporting him under the arms. Don’t fight nature by putting unbearable strain on your child’s weak muscles and joints.

Diagnosis of the problem

The first person to notice the irregular shape of a child’s foot or its non-anatomical position when walking is usually the pediatrician. He writes out a referral to a pediatric orthopedist for examination and special examination. If the heel and toes are deviated outward, the arches are smoothed, and the inner part of the foot is displaced inward, then the primary diagnosis is made - hallux valgus. To confirm it, a number of instrumental studies are carried out:

radiography in 3 projections to visualize changes in the relative position of the feet;
computer plantography for calculating various morphological parameters of the foot;
computer podometry to assess the distribution of loads on all parts of the foot.

To clarify the diagnosis, in some cases an ultrasound is performed. The child will also be examined by a pediatric neurologist. This is necessary to exclude diseases of the peripheral and central nervous system.

How to choose

For the health of children's feet, it is very important to choose the right model. First, you need to consult an orthopedic doctor. The specialist will tell you in detail what anti-valgus shoes are and what kind of shoes a child needs at a certain age. You need to purchase products only from those manufacturers who can provide quality certificates and all other related documents.

When choosing, be sure to pay attention to the recommendations of orthopedic doctors:

Rigid fixation of the leg must be provided;
boots must be chosen strictly according to size, while in open summer sandals a margin of up to 0.8 cm is allowed - this is the maximum;
Be sure to try on shoes on both feet at once;
the product should have a wide base in the toe area, most often it is a round toe;
a hard heel is required, and the degree of hardness can be determined by touch by pressing on this part with force - it will not press through with suitable orthopedic anti-valgus shoes;
It is important to have 3-4 fasteners;
the sole must bend and have an anti-slip layer on it for the safety of the child;
There should be several pairs for each season.

It is prohibited to wear orthopedic shoes for another child.

In order to benefit the child and not harm, you should not purchase shoes for planovalgus deformity according to your own preferences. It is necessary to consult a specialist, and only after that choose a pair that is suitable for medical reasons. You can purchase a ready-made model or order custom tailoring for your child’s foot.

Features of orthopedic shoes for hallux valgus

Wearing orthopedic shoes for hallux valgus should not cause any discomfort in children. Therefore, you should choose it only after consulting your doctor. All models are standard, but if there are some structural features of the child’s feet, shoes or boots will be made to order. How do orthopedic shoes differ from regular, everyday shoes?

flexible but dense sole. It gently limits the sideways movement of the sole, performs a shock-absorbing function, and “springs” when walking;
stable wide heel. This design promotes the correct formation of the arch of the foot;
arch support. This internal part of the bottom of the shoe can be attached to the insole or located between the insole and half-insole. The instep support is designed to reduce the load on the arch and the dimensional stability of the sole;
high elastic back, sides, which provide reliable support for the ankle joint.

Manufacturers produce orthopedic shoes only with lacing or special fasteners, such as Velcro. They provide reliable fixation of the foot in an anatomically correct position.

What is hallux valgus deformity?

Due to the heavy load that a child's foot is exposed to when walking, the big toe joint becomes displaced. As a result, a protrusion, a “bump,” forms at its base, which over time makes it impossible to wear ordinary shoes. The movable joints of the toes are disrupted, the foot itself deviates outward, flat feet reduce shock absorption when walking, and the entire load is transferred to the heads of the metatarsal bones. Ultimately, the child begins to experience an unpleasant aching pain when moving and quickly gets tired.

The task of orthopedic shoes is to stabilize the child’s legs, fix them in the correct position and prevent distortion of the spine and joints.

The benefits of ortho shoes

A child's foot continues to develop until the age of four. This is what determines the therapeutic effectiveness of orthopedic boots and sandals. Their constant wearing gently but persistently stimulates the formation of bone and cartilaginous structures of the feet in a physiological position. How does using corrective shoes help with hallux valgus:

the pathology is completely stopped, since the loads are evenly distributed on the lateral and inner surfaces of the foot;
as the child grows, the shape of the foot acquires the correct position;
the child’s gait becomes more confident, he begins to move better;
the discomfort that occurs in the legs due to increased stress on the muscles disappears;
the child’s psycho-emotional state improves, he becomes less capricious, and takes part in active games with peers.

The use of ortho shoes allows you to compensate for other existing defects, record the results of the treatment, and maintain the corrected shape of the foot.

Prices for services

In medical terms, the price of laser surgery to remove a bunion on one foot is 70 thousand rubles. Surgery on two legs will cost the patient 120 thousand. rubles This amount includes the following services:

specialist consultation;
effective and safe local anesthesia;
laser resurfacing of protruding bone;
suturing the incision site;
hospital stay for several days;
repeated consultation with a specialist and removal of sutures;
selection of the optimal model of orthopedic shoes;
a detailed explanation of all the rules of the rehabilitation period.

If the operation was not performed in our clinic, you can schedule a consultation with a qualified orthopedic surgeon to receive professional information regarding the correct choice of rehabilitation shoes. The cost of this service in our clinic is only 1,950 rubles.

Types of orthopedic shoes

There are several classifications of orthopedic shoes. It can be for children and adults, men's and women's, winter, summer, demi-season. Shoes, sandals, boots, boots are used for walking. And if a child has a hallux valgus deformity of moderate or severe severity, then wearing slippers is also recommended. They are equipped with a closed back and a special insole-support that fixes the child’s foot in an anatomical position. Such indoor shoes redistribute loads well, so there is no thickening of the arch.

Type of orthopedic shoes for children	Purpose and characteristics
Preventative	Recommended by orthopedists for wearing at the initial stage of development of hallux valgus or if there are prerequisites for its occurrence, for example, excess weight in a child
Uncomplicated	When used, it has a slight corrective effect, therefore it is prescribed for hallux valgus deformity of the first degree of severity.
Complex	Used for severe forms of hallux valgus deformity, manufactured only with a doctor's prescription to order after taking measurements

“Doctors are hiding the truth!”

Even “advanced” joint problems can be cured at home! Just remember to apply this once a day...

Winter models

Children's shoes and boots are intended for wearing in the cold season. They should be comfortable and keep your feet warm. Therefore, these shoes are equipped with warm insoles, non-slip soles, and low, wide heels. The most therapeutically effective winter models from the following manufacturers:

Ortek. High-quality, durable boots with an elastic, warm insole and a special plate that reliably fixes the ankle joint;
Surcil-Ortho. Thanks to the design of high boots made of natural fur, the longitudinal arch is supported and the shape of the foot is corrected. The displacement of the heel and ankle joint is prevented by a high back with ankle boots. The rolling sole encourages correct foot placement when moving;
Dandino. Soft natural materials were used in the manufacture of the shoes, so wearing them is comfortable for the child even during active movements, such as running or jumping. Dandino boots do not secure the feet too much; they are used only at the initial stage of the development of pathology.

Dandino winter boots.
Pediatric orthopedists especially recommend winter boots and BOS boots for conservative treatment of moderate hallux valgus.

Summer footwear

In summer, children are comfortable in open shoes. But to treat hallux valgus, you need sandals with a rigid high heel, or even better, a closed toe. The child will not be hot in such shoes, since, according to WHO standards, they are made of air-permeable (“breathable”) materials. Summer models from the following manufacturers secure the arch well and prevent the heel from falling in:

Perseus. This is the best shoe for the treatment of hallux valgus, as its design includes a special anti-valgus frame. Sandals and low shoes are made by hand, which is an excellent guarantee of their quality;
Ortec. The arches of the feet are supported, the heel is securely fixed by an anatomical elastic heel and a removable instep support. These sandals and low shoes have a rigid but elastic sole that helps shape the gait, and convenient Velcro fasteners to hold the foot in the correct position;
Artemon. The sandals have a hard back, a small flat wide heel and an elastic sole. Wearing such summer shoes ensures the formation of the correct gait. In addition, she is attractive in appearance, moderately open.

The company Rinitek is engaged in the production of boots, sandals, shoes, sandals for foot correction. They meet all orthopedic characteristics, as they are equipped with a hard back, anatomical sole, instep supports, and high ankle boots.

Children's orthopedic sandals.

Find out what Dr. Komarovsky thinks about hallux valgus in children and what treatment the pediatrician considers the most effective.

Treatment of planovalgus foot

This disease directly depends on its degree and form. When a diagnosis is made in the maternity hospital, when there is a congenital form, treatment is prescribed as quickly as possible, literally from the first month of life.

Treatment of planovalgus foot deformity aims to correct the curvature and fix it. Thus, it is important not only to overcome the defect, but also to consolidate the result.

Conservative treatment

As a rule, medications are rarely prescribed as part of therapy. Their use is necessary in case of systematic or temporary headaches or pain in the legs. Medications from the analgesic group relieve the symptom, but not the cause, so doctors provide treatment primarily of an external nature, namely:

A plaster cast is applied to the legs, which has a corrective and strengthening effect. Since the problem of this disease is dealt with by an orthopedist and a surgeon, the doctor himself decides which bandage to apply;
An important stage of treatment - physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy - is what will allow the legs to feel the fullness and correctness of movements;
No less important is the stage of maintaining the achieved result, because planovalgus feet tend to “come back” during their treatment. Therefore, the child purchases special orthopedic shoes with the same insoles.

In the case of acquired deformity, when flat valgus feet are diagnosed, as a rule, the doctor prescribes gentle treatment, but again, it all depends on the degree of the disease. But it should be noted that this is just a conservative treatment. There are quite serious cases that require not just exercises and massage, but surgical intervention.

Operations

Grice's operation is an operation during which a special insert is installed in the child's foot, preventing the foot from bending inward;
The Dobbs method is based on the staged application of plaster to the child's foot, followed by percutaneous fixation with a Kirschner wire. This is not an operation, but manual therapy, which consists of 5-6 sessions - usually one per week, during which the feet are affected and the final stage is their plaster casting;
Various soft tissue and arthrodesis surgical interventions, the decision on which is made by the attending physician.

It is important to understand that the question of prescribing gentle therapy or performing surgery can only be decided by a doctor. In turn, parents, no matter how savvy they are with information from open sources, should not resist the treatment of their child.

How to choose and where to buy

You have to change your shoes every 6-8 months. It is not cheap, but parents should not save money - wearing corrective products often allows them to avoid surgery. High-quality shoes cannot be sold at a low price, but they are the ones that have the greatest therapeutic effectiveness.

Choosing orthoses for adults

Orthopedic insoles are foot position correctors in shoes. The purpose of wearing them is to restore the normal position of the bone base, creating support for weakened muscles and ligaments. For adults, regular use of insoles is recommended to reduce the severity of pain when walking, as well as to prevent further deformation of the foot, especially the big toe. They are not used to treat hallux valgus in adults.

Orthopedic insoles.

Orthopedic devices come in several varieties:

insoles to support the entire sole, correct the position of the foot;
half-insoles for uniform redistribution of the load from the metatarsus, preventing deformation of the bones of the big toe;
heel pads for complex treatment of valgus flat feet;
Fixators are used when wearing open shoes to correct the position of the joint of the first toe.

The main determining parameter is the length of the foot. As a rule, the size of the orthopedic device completely matches the shoe size, so there are no problems when selecting.

How to choose orthopedic insoles for babies

Boots or sandals for the prevention or treatment of mild hallux valgus are selected by parents taking into account the following criteria:

comfort to wear - orthopedic shoes should not be tight so as not to create discomfort;
compliance with the size range - boots and sandals cannot be purchased “for growth”, because using such shoes does more harm than good;
degree of fixation - boots, sandals, house slippers should fit the foot well, but not rub the skin;
suit the season.

Shoes for the correct formation of the foot and correction of the child’s gait are sold in specialized stores. When diagnosing a severe form of pathology, the doctor writes a prescription. His parents come with him to the orthopedic salon. An employee contacts the factory and places an order in accordance with the measurements taken, as well as the requirements of the pediatric orthopedist.

How is the foot formed in childhood?

Every baby is born with an inherently flat foot. Physiological flat feet in a baby is not considered a pathology. The place on the foot, which then becomes the longitudinal arch, is filled with fat. This fat pad persists in children up to 3 years of age. From the age of three, muscles and ligaments begin to actively develop, and the height of the arches gradually increases. Then, as the child grows, by the age of 5-6 years, a longitudinal arch appears, and already at this age the orthopedist can say with confidence whether the child has flat feet. At 7-10 years of age, a child’s foot is very similar to an adult’s, but its formation is complete by about 12 years of age. By this age, ossification of the cartilaginous structures of the foot occurs, and until this very moment, doctors recognize any position of the foot as physiological and correctable.

Rules for wearing ortho shoes

Wearing orthopedic shoes by a child both outdoors and at home is recommended only for severe hallux valgus deformity. In other cases, you only need to wear it while walking. Many orthopedists are against this method of treating acquired pathology. They believe that the treatment should be based on strengthening muscles, ligaments, and tendons. If they are strong and elastic, then the foot begins to form correctly without the use of corrective shoes and boots.

Therefore, wearing shoes must be combined with exercise therapy, physiotherapeutic and massage procedures, and barefoot walks on pebbles, sand, and grass. Children's orthopedists advise parents to purchase a special mat, which consists of several blocks that imitate natural surfaces.

What should orthotic shoes be like?

For reliable fixation, the presence of Velcro or fasteners on anti-valgus shoes is mandatory.
Therapeutic orthopedic shoes must be equipped with a dense and rigid heel made of thermoplastic material.
Choose orthotics with a flexible sole on the toe and a rigidly fixed instep support.
Shoes should be made of high quality and natural material that allows the foot to breathe.
Therapeutic corrective shoes are simply necessary - this is a kind of exercise machine that promotes uniform load distribution and normal functioning of unused muscles.

In addition, orthopedic shoes contribute to:

Reducing the load on the musculoskeletal system;
Normalization of muscle and ligament development;
Preventing deformation of the arch of the foot;
Formation of correct posture.

Treatment for orthopedic diseases can take years, which is why you should regularly take your child for preventive examinations.

Do not neglect visits to pediatricians: only timely identified pathologies can prevent joint deformation.
It is necessary to purchase shoes from an early age, taking into account the anatomical features of children's feet.
Having identified children's hallux valgus, buy high-quality corrective shoes.

Remember that complex treatment of orthopedic diseases is not complete without regularly wearing special shoes.