Transverse flatfoot occurs due to drooping of the transverse arch of the foot. This leads to its modification. A person’s weight plays a huge role in this pathology, since increased weight puts more pressure on the feet.

Treatment of transverse flatfoot at home must be started as soon as possible in order to prevent the pathology from progressing.

Causes of transverse flatfoot

Many people, especially women and people over 35 years old, are familiar with such a problem as transverse flatfoot. The main causes of pathology are:

1. Overweight people. With a large body weight it turns out heavy load on the feet, which causes the disease.

2. Hereditary factor. Very often, the disease begins to progress precisely in those individuals whose relatives have encountered such a problem.

3. Illiterate use of shoes. A person who chooses shoes with an incorrectly installed instep support, of poor quality with a toe that is too narrow, automatically falls into the risk group.

4. High heels becomes the cause of pathology.

5. Limb injuries. Most often, this factor is the root cause of the pathology.

All of these reasons cause pain and discomfort in a person.

Massage for the treatment of transverse flat feet at home

This method of treating pathology will help not only get rid of pain and spasms, but also strengthens the ligaments. Massage helps the bones return to their original place. This method is necessarily included in the complex of curing pathology. In particular, it is highly effective for flat feet of the 1st degree. But in the case of a severe stage, this method is also indicated.

The massage includes kneading the feet, pressing the soles with a large hand or fist. Exercise improves blood circulation, eliminates fatigue and swelling.

Effective massage is performed at home. It is necessary to work on the feet, knead all the muscles, rub the limbs, move the fingers, knead the soles. For self-massage, it is effective to use special massage mats. It is useful to roll bottles on the floor or walk on stones with bare feet.

Physical therapy for the treatment of transverse flatfoot at home

This method of therapy is the most effective. Specially selected exercises can have an impact on the very cause of the disease, that is, weakened ligaments and muscles. Each patient's disease progresses differently, so choose effective exercises Only the attending physician can.

Manipulations must be carried out every day. It only takes 20 minutes of time. Some exercises are recommended to be done a couple of times a day.

The following exercises provide results:

1. With this pathology, it is effective to walk on the outer part of the foot. The fingers should be slightly bent. After that, walk on tiptoe.

2. Most of the exercises are performed in sitting position. It is necessary to squeeze and relax the muscles a couple of times. Afterwards, turn your feet and rotate them.

3. To strengthen muscles thumb legs need to connect both limbs and stretch them in front of you. Bend your left foot and place its front part under the second. Do the same with the other leg.

4. It is very effective to lift a ball and various small objects with your feet.

5. Hold a pencil with your toes and try to draw figures on a piece of paper.

6. Stand on your toes and jump from this position at least 30 times. It is necessary to adhere to the average rhythm of jumping. Repeat this exercise three times a day.

7. Good result Walking sideways on a log with bare feet gives it.

With regular exercise, you can get rid of the disease extremely quickly.

Diet therapy for the treatment of transverse flatfoot at home

Curing transverse flatfoot involves avoiding eating flour, sweet and fatty foods. The diet for this disease should be rich in fruits and vegetables. It is recommended to eat porridge for breakfast and prepare broth for dinner. But for lunch, patients with this pathology must consume 50 g of protein.

To strengthen bones, you need to consume milk and vitamin D3. With flat feet, not only the muscles are affected, but also the bones. Very often they change precisely with transverse flatfoot. To prevent deformation, calcium is needed, which is contained in milk. In case of lactose intolerance, children are prescribed special milk that does not contain this component.

Vitamins nourish the human body useful substances, which are needed to restore the structure of bones and muscle tissue. That is, treatment of transverse flatfoot at home includes the whole complex various manipulations.

Folk remedies for treating transverse flatfoot at home

Treatment of such a pathology is very painstaking work. It is simply not possible to quickly cope with such a disease. With the help of folk remedies it is possible to stop the progression of the disease.

When you are sick, it is useful to make lotions. Maximum effective recipes serve:

1. Wormwood. Using compresses you can get rid of pain. The leaves of the plant must be washed, then applied to the feet and wrapped with cloth. This method can also be used for sprains, dislocations and injuries.

2. If severe pain occurs due to pathology, then it is necessary to mix in the same ratio 3% iodine solution and lemon juice. Then add two crushed Aspirin tablets. Mix the whole mass thoroughly. Spread the composition on sore limbs. Perform manipulations for three days in a row, after which take a break for a week. It is prohibited to purchase another concentration. Otherwise, you may get burned.

3. Effective compresses with propolis, parsley and fresh river fish . Such compresses should be applied to cartilaginous growths at night. They need to be wrapped in cloth over them. Take it off only in the morning.

Foot baths are also effective for illness:

1. There are special foot baths that help eliminate fatigue, relax leg muscles, and strengthen bones. The manipulation is very simple. IN warm water you need to dissolve the sea salt. Add a tablespoon per liter of liquid. Keep the limbs in such a bath for a quarter of an hour. After this, they should be wiped dry and lubricated with nourishing cream. Gently massage your feet.

2. Contrast baths. To do this you will need two basins of water. Pour hot liquid into one and cold liquid into the second. First, your feet should be steamed for a few minutes. Then lower it for 15 seconds cold water. Perform such procedures daily for 10 days. After this time, take a break for a month. The procedure is prohibited for women critical days.

3. Useful to add to baths herbal infusions. Effectively brew oak bark. For 5 liters of liquid you will need a kilogram of grass. Boil everything for half an hour. Then add the healing liquid to the bath.

4. For this pathology, a remedy with the addition of sage infusion is often used. To obtain it, add 100 g of herb to 2 liters of boiling water. You can use sage instead peppermint. The limbs are immersed in the bath for a third of an hour.

5. Alcohol tincture immortelle. It is necessary to lubricate the limbs. The inflorescences should be dried in the oven, then filled with ordinary alcohol. Leave this mixture to stand for a couple of days. The mixture can also be used in the treatment of joints.

What should not be done when treating transverse flatfoot at home?

In order not to harm yourself or aggravate the current situation, if such a problem arises, it is recommended to consult a specialist. You should not wear shoes with too low soles or high heels. This will lead to a complicated course of the disease.

If you are sick, it is contraindicated to overwork lower limbs. Don't stay on your feet for too long. The same can be said about laziness. If your doctor prescribes any exercises, they must be performed daily. Otherwise, there will be no improvement.

Experts note that treatment methods for flat feet depend on its type: longitudinal, transverse, combined (longitudinal-transverse) or valgus.

Although today the ability of orthopedics to treat flat feet in adults with conservative methods is limited to physical therapy, massage, physiotherapeutic procedures and the use of orthopedic insoles. There are no “pills for flat feet”: pharmacological preparations cannot strengthen the muscles that support optimal arch height, eliminate weakness plantar aponeurosis, Achilles and tibial tendons or return the bones of the foot to their normal position.

The foot may become flatter as you age or adolescence, during pregnancy, during diabetes mellitus and increased blood pressure. And, of course, with overweight. So obese people orthopedists strongly recommend resetting extra pounds, otherwise the rapid development of flat feet and deformation of the bones and joints of the foot cannot be avoided.

It should be borne in mind that medicine is not able to “cure flat feet” in adults - for example, like a sore throat or hemorrhoids. And treatment of longitudinal flatfoot (most common type of this pathology) is to prevent further development of the disease, as well as to relieve pain that occurs.

Treatment of flat feet in adults

The main treatment for 1st degree flatfoot (longitudinal, transverse, combined), when there are no obvious signs bone deformations – physical therapy, massage (feet, areas ankle joint and calf muscles), warm foot baths with table salt.

Treatment of transverse flatfoot, as well as treatment of combined flatfoot on initial stage diseases is carried out similar methods. In addition, for all types of arch pathology, women should avoid heels larger than 3-4 cm, as well as shoes with tapered toes. And you should absolutely not wear tight and trampled shoes!

Treatment of 2nd degree flat feet in adults, in addition to special exercises (which, see further in the section Exercises for the treatment of flat feet) and massage, includes various physical procedures: paraffin and ozokerite applications, ultrasound phonophoresis with corticosteroids and electrophoresis with analgesics (for severe pain), magnetotherapy. For longitudinal flat feet, when the foot begins to “fall” inward (that is, there is pronation of the foot), it is recommended constant wearing(at least 8 hours a day) arch support insoles. And treatment of transverse flatfoot at this stage involves correcting the shape of the foot using special cuffs for the front of the foot, which helps slow down the process of hypertrophy of the head of the first metatarsal. In addition, shoes may be needed to treat flat feet, since with transverse and combined flat feet there is a divergence of the metatarsal bones, an outward deviation of the big toe, as well as an increase in the cartilage between the phalanges of the remaining fingers.

Shoes for the treatment of flat feet are orthopedic shoes, which are most often worn in cases of pronounced flat feet (that is, degree 2 and 3 flat feet) and which are prescribed by an orthopedic doctor after an examination. The most effective “working” is orthopedic shoes made by specialists on an individual order - based on a cast of the foot.

Treatment of grade 3 flat feet, in which there is spring, balancing and pushing dysfunction of the foot, comes down to physiotherapy, wearing orthopedic shoes, as well as relieving pain felt in the ankles, knees, hips, lower back and back. With this degree of flatfoot, sometimes orthopedic surgeons have to get down to business (Surgical treatment of flatfoot - see below).

In addition to regularly performing special exercises and foot massage, treatment of valgus flatfoot - longitudinal flatfoot complicated by valgus (X-shaped) feet - includes the use of individual orthopedic insoles and wearing orthopedic shoes with arch supports and high backs. This will restrain the divergence of the feet and correct the emphasis on their inner sides when walking, which is characteristic of this pathology. Orthopedists classify this type of flatfoot as birth defects associated with genetically determined weakness connective tissue tendons and ligaments.

By the way, the treatment of congenital flat feet, which is observed in no more than 3% of cases and is quite difficult to diagnose, in clinical orthopedics is carried out using the methods listed above, which help strengthen the muscles and ligaments.

Treatment of flat feet with arthrosis

Since the feet with flat feet do not cope well with their function as shock absorbers, a significant part of the upward dynamic loads that occur when walking has to be experienced by the cartilages of the knees and hip joints. Articular cartilage may not be able to withstand overloads that are unusual for them, and then degenerative-dystrophic changes begin cartilage tissue(arthrosis), and after it - deformation bone tissue joints. With transverse flatfoot, arthrosis of the joints often develops. thumbs legs and metatarsal joints.

Continuing to wear insoles and arch supports, doing physical therapy as best you can, you have to begin treatment for flat feet with arthrosis. In most cases, doctors prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which relieve pain and inflammation in the joints. Funds for local application– ointments and gels Diclofenac, Ibuprofen (Deep Relief), Ketonal (Fastum gel) - should be applied twice a day to the skin over the joint.

Treatment of pain due to flat feet is also carried out by taking NSAIDs orally. These are Diclofenac (Naklofen, Ortofen), Ibuprofen (Ibuprex, Ibuprom, Nurofen), Tenoctide, etc. Diclofenac is taken orally before meals, 1/2 or a whole tablet three times a day; Ibuprofen - 200 mg three times a day. And Tenoctil capsules are taken 20 mg (1 capsule) once a day, during an exacerbation - 2 capsules once a day for two days, and in the next five days again, one capsule per day.

Joint pain resulting from flat feet is relieved with compresses with Bischofite, which are done at night - every day for at least 12-14 days. And for rubbing into the area of ​​the affected joint, the drug Dikrasin is used - 20 drops for each joint, daily or every other day for 15-18 days.

For the treatment of arthrosis with flat feet and all degenerative processes in cartilage, such tableted chondroprotective drugs are used as Artron flex, Teraflex, Chondroitin complex, etc. Thus, Teraflex capsules are prescribed by orthopedists 1 pc. three times a day - during the first three weeks of treatment, and then - 1 capsule twice a day. The duration of therapy is at least 2 months.

In order to restore cartilage tissue in the joints, chondroprotectors are prescribed for injection into the joint: Adant (Sodium hyaluronate), Alflutop, Gialgan Fidia, Sinokrom, Sinvisc, etc.

Treatment of flat feet in children and adolescents

According to pediatric orthopedists, effective treatment of flat feet in children is possible up to the age of six, since by this time the formation of the foot is completed.

In the first two years of life, all children have longitudinally flat feet, and this is normal. That's why accurate diagnosis flat feet can be diagnosed no earlier than three to five years, although to detect obvious congenital pathologies musculoskeletal system, an orthopedist should examine newborns during the first month after birth, at one year and at three years. By the way, congenital valgus flatfoot is detected quite early - as soon as the child stands on his feet.

So when three year old baby cannot stand a 30-40 minute walk and asks his mother to take him in her arms, then it’s time to consult an orthopedist.

Treatment methods for flat feet in children are no different from those used in adults, and the emphasis is on physical therapy, massage and proper shoes. The right shoes for a child should have a hard heel that secures the heel to its entire height, an elastically rigid sole and an instep support. This also applies to summer shoes. But, as experts emphasize, until the age of two, a child’s shoes should be without instep support.

It is also very important to wear insoles for the treatment of flat feet, the specific type of which should be prescribed by an orthopedic doctor. Correction of the arch of the foot and stopping its subsidence in childhood This is achieved due to the fact that orthopedic insoles help position the arch more physiologically and correctly distribute the load on the feet when walking.

Parents should take into account that preschool age all measures taken in the fight against flat feet can give the maximum positive result. First of all, because in childhood the elasticity of muscles is much higher, the process of development of muscle innervation (motor nerve endings) is not yet completed, and the relationship between muscles and their tendons makes it possible to strengthen ligamentous apparatus skeletal muscles.

Treatment of flat feet in adolescents, carried out on the principles already described, allows (as in adults) only to correct the defect of the arch of the foot to one degree or another. According to many experts, in adolescence it is not possible to completely eliminate the formed, and even more so, inherited flat feet. The main reason is that the foot is anatomically formed, but continues to grow - like all the bones of the skeleton. But at the same time, the articular-ligamentous apparatus, as well as the ratio of muscles and tendons inherent in adults, are established by the age of 14-15.

Surgical treatment of flat feet

Surgical treatment of flat feet is considered a solution in the presence of extremely complex foot deformities that prevent walking. Surgical operations on the foot are complex, and a positive result, that is, restoration of the anatomical height of the arch of the foot and its functions, is not guaranteed.

Some of the most common surgical operations in the treatment of flat feet:

• corrective osteotomy (dissection) of part of the first metatarsal bone with displacement in the desired direction - performed for transverse flatfoot of 1st and 2nd degree;
• corrective wedge resection(excision) of the head of the first metatarsal bone (for transverse flatfoot);
• fixation in a state of immobility (arthrodesis) of the first wedge-shaped metatarsal joint (with external deviation of the first toe with transverse flatfoot);
• tendon-muscular plastic surgery of the transverse arch of the foot (for transverse flatfoot);
• reconstructive tendon plasty (for transverse flatfoot).

Not far from this full list It can be seen that surgical treatment of flat feet in most cases concerns transverse flat feet. And this is no coincidence: according to medical statistics, patients with this type of pathology of the arch of the foot make up more than 60% of patients who applied for medical care about flat feet.

Treatment of flat feet at home

As a matter of fact, home treatment flat feet, that is, following the doctor’s instructions at home, is not much different from the treatment of many other diseases. The only thing that cannot be done at home is hardware physiotherapeutic procedures: you will have to go to the clinic.

All other treatment for flat feet at home does not require medical qualifications, because anyone can master massage and physical therapy. The main thing is patience, perseverance and faith that all this will help.

Foot baths with table salt are made at the rate of a tablespoon of salt per liter of water, the water temperature is not higher than +40-42°C, and the duration of this daily procedure is 15-20 minutes.

Home treatment for flat feet also involves stimulating the reflex points of the feet, which occurs when walking barefoot in a forest clearing overgrown with grass in the summer, sandy shore river or sea pebbles, in the yard near a rural house or cottage. And in the fall and winter, especially to strengthen the foot muscles in children, you can use a massage mat to treat flat feet. You can buy it, or you can make it yourself literally from scrap materials, sewing buttons to a piece (90x90 cm) of any thick fabric or gluing dry beans, sea pebbles, etc. You can buy a massage roller, but “just in case” ones stored on the mezzanine are quite suitable wooden abacus. Without a doubt, it is a good idea to have a suitable massager for the treatment of flat feet: they can be mechanical, roller, compression, or vibration. However, judging by the reviews of patients with flat feet, no simulators for the treatment of flat feet will replace traditional manual massage.

Of course, it’s better to go to a medical massage therapist several times, and then do it yourself. Moreover, the basic massage techniques for flat feet are quite simple:

• you need to massage your legs from the ankles to the groin from bottom to top (stroking, patting, rubbing);
• massage the foot and it back side(from fingers to ankle) should be done by rubbing, that is, with circular movements of the tips of the fingers joined together, or with the edge of the palm across the foot;
• the arch of the foot can also be massaged with a “ridge”, which is formed from the joints of the proximal phalanges of the four fingers when the hand is clenched into a fist (in other words, “knuckles”);
• It is more convenient to rub the heels (alternately), as well as the bases of the toes on the side of the foot, by bending the leg at the knee, with four connected fingers of both hands ( thumbs hands - on the rise).

Each foot requires no more than 5 minutes, so this massage will not take much time, but it needs to be done daily, preferably in the evening. But you should perform exercises to treat flat feet for at least 20 minutes and, if possible, twice a day.

Exercises to treat flat feet

All exercises to strengthen ligaments and muscles with flat feet are performed only barefoot. So, first we do the exercises while standing: we walk on our toes, and then on our heels; then we move with our feet on the inside. Next: while standing, “roll” your feet from toe to heel and in the opposite direction (20 times). We stand on a wooden block about a meter long, placing it across the feet (the arch of the feet is on the block, the heels and toes are on the floor). Remaining in the same position, we move along the block with an extended step. And finally, standing on the floor, we squat 6-8 times without rising on our toes (heels on the floor).

The following exercises are performed while sitting (10 times):

• raise your legs above the floor and rotate your feet left and right;
• lift your feet on the floor up towards your shins, resting your heels on the floor;
• feet on the floor, without lifting your toes from the floor, raise your heels up, straining your instep and lower leg muscles;
• feet on the floor, without lifting your heels from the floor, press your toes inward - towards the heels;
• feet on the floor, without lifting the pads from the floor, raise all your toes up;
• the position is the same, raise only the thumbs;
• same position, roll a small ball back and forth with your foot (from the heel to the base of the toes);
• in the same position, grab the ball with your feet larger size, holding it above the floor for 5 seconds, and lower it into place;
• in the same position, without lifting the heels, use the fingers of both feet (bending them under the foot) to collect a towel or any piece of fabric laid on the floor.

Treatment of flat feet with folk remedies

The best treatment for flat feet with folk remedies is cycling barefoot! Because neither decoctions nor tinctures medicinal herbs in this case they are powerless. But pedaling is a massage, a fitness machine and, partly, physical therapy...

As folk remedy for the treatment of flat feet with arthrosis, compresses are offered on the sore joint at night - from cabbage leaves, from birch leaves steamed in boiling water, from clay, from honey with salt or black radish juice, as well as from rye flour with ammonia.

There is a recipe for an ointment for joint pain based on table salt(200 g) and mustard powder(100 g), which must be mixed with a small amount of kerosene to obtain a medium-thick paste. This ointment traditional healers It is recommended to use at night, rubbing into the area above the joint until completely absorbed.

Another recipe for an ointment for joint pain: take dry St. John's wort, yarrow and sage in a 2:1:1 ratio, grind in a coffee grinder and mix with petroleum jelly or lard. Apply 1-2 times a day and wrap the joint warmly.

Our feet, thanks to their arched structure, perform essential functions while walking. At the same time, the foot is the most “load-bearing” element of the human musculoskeletal system, and treatment of flat feet makes it possible to minimize excess loads on the lower limbs and spine, and, therefore, preserve the supporting structure of the body.

P.S. The problem of flat feet is the subject of many scientific studies. In particular, studies by a group of American orthopedists showed that in samples of tendon tissue obtained during operations on the tendons of the arch of the foot in adult patients with acquired flat feet, there was an increased content of proteolytic enzymes that are capable of breaking down elastin and collagen - the main proteins of connective tissues, including tendons and ligaments. Perhaps this is the path to discovery true reasons weakening of the foot ligaments, and then, finally, it will be found effective treatment flat feet.

Flat feet are the smoothing of the natural plantar concavities (arches) of the foot - longitudinal and transverse. Flat feet are not only an aesthetic problem due to foot deformation, but also physically impair the quality of life, accompanied by swelling, pain, cramps, increased fatigue legs

Due to the loss of the shock-absorbing function of the foot, the load on the joints of the legs and spine increases significantly, which leads to their premature deterioration. Treatment started on early stages, helps reduce the risk of complications. How to treat flat feet will be outlined below.

Treatment results depending on age

In children under seven years of age, congenital or rachitic flatfoot can be completely cured using a set of conservative methods, especially if treatment is started early - from two to four years of age.

During adolescence conservative methods do not allow flat feet to be completely cured, however, constant wearing of arch supports and regular therapeutic exercises can significantly slow down or even stop the process of foot deformation. To achieve best results the doctor may recommend surgical treatment. Surgeries at this age are effective and low-traumatic, after which you can walk without crutches almost immediately.

For adults conservative treatment helps you feel more comfortable, it can, to one degree or another, slow down the descent of the arch of the foot and the deformation associated with it. In adulthood, it is impossible to get by with low-traumatic surgical interventions that are effective in adolescents. Surgical treatment involves long-term fixation of the foot with a cast and the use of crutches.

The effectiveness of treatment of acquired forms of flatfoot directly depends on the effectiveness of treatment of the underlying disease. Thus, with diabetic polyneutropathy, flat feet with high probability will not progress once a stable low blood sugar level is reached.

Drug treatment

It is impossible not only to cure flat feet with medications, but to even minimally influence the progression of the process. Therefore, tablets are prescribed only in case of severe pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually prescribed to relieve pain.

Treatment with orthopedic insoles

Good results in the treatment of flat feet in people of any age are provided by orthopedic insoles-instep supports, individually made for each foot, taking into account all anatomical features.

Such insoles are usually made of plastic, which is flexible when heated, but becomes rigid when the temperature drops. To make an insole for the foot, the material is heated with a hairdryer, after which it is brought under the foot to obtain a kind of cast. Before making the instep support, the arch of the foot is raised using a tape, and to form a transverse arch, a special pad is placed under the insole blank.

Such instep supports can be made for shoes without heels or with heels.

Wearing orthotics can provide a complete cure for up to seven years if treatment is started at two to three years of age. Children need to change arch supports quite often in accordance with the growth of their feet.

In adolescents and adults, wearing insoles makes walking more comfortable and slows or stops the progression of the disease. At first, the instep supports may seem uncomfortable to wear, but as you get used to them, a feeling of comfort sets in.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy, especially in combination with the use of insoles and arch supports, gives a good therapeutic effect.

The following methods are used to treat flat feet:

• hardware treatment;
• spa treatment;
• therapeutic exercises.

Physiotherapy is aimed at strengthening the muscular-ligamentous apparatus of the arch of the foot and relieving pain.

Of the hardware methods, the most commonly used are myoelectric stimulation of the tibialis anterior muscle, amplympulse therapy, ultrasound treatment, chondroxide phonophoresis, electrophoresis with therapeutic mud.

Massage - manual kneading of the feet and legs - is carried out by a specialist.

Spa treatment includes mud applications in the form of “socks” or “socks”. Dirt can be replaced with paraffin or ozokerite. To relieve pain, whirlpool foot baths are indicated.

Regular performance of therapeutic exercises is perhaps the most effective treatment flat feet.

Gymnastic exercises include sliding and rolling movements of the foot, tucking the toes. Young children can be interested in gymnastics by offering them unusual options: pick up toys and small objects from the floor with your toes or stand for a while on a medium-sized ball, maintaining your balance (with adult support).

Below are examples of exercises that should be performed daily.

Traditional methods

From traditional methods Walking on various surfaces in nature is especially effective. The only disadvantage is that such treatment can only be carried out in the warm season.

It is best to walk barefoot on warm sand or pine needles.

Also in medicinal purposes you can use a log - you need to stand on it so that your heel is on one side and your toe is on the other, and move sideways from end to end.

Surgical treatment of flat feet

When longitudinal, various surgical interventions are provided. The operation is usually performed for high degrees of flat feet of any type, when conservative methods do not bring relief.

Subtalar arthroeresis

The operation is performed on persons aged ten to thirty years suffering from. The essence of the surgical intervention is to correct the arch of the foot using a titanium implant, which is installed between the talus and heel bones. The implant fixes the talus bone, depriving it of excessive mobility, which provides support longitudinal arch feet.

The operation lasts about half an hour and requires a 24-hour hospital stay. The stitches are removed after two weeks.

This intervention can be performed on both feet simultaneously, since after the operation you can walk immediately without crutches, applying plaster cast not required. Sports exercises can be done three months after the intervention.

This type of operation is optimal for those aged from ten to twenty years with moderately severe flat feet.

People over twenty years of age, as well as teenagers with severe flat feet, undergo tendon plastic surgery along with implant installation. After such an operation, you will need to wear a cast for one and a half months. During this period, you cannot lean on your foot; you must use crutches, so simultaneous treatment of both feet cannot be performed. It is recommended to operate on the second foot no earlier than a year later.

After some time, the implant must be removed. For adults, such surgery is required on average one and a half years after installation. In children, the implant is removed when they reach seventeen or eighteen years of age.

After removal of the implant, the foot retains its corrected shape.

For patients over thirty years of age, arthrodesis is performed - fixation of joints using the method of “fusion”. Such operations are traumatic and do not completely eliminate the deformity.

Surgical treatment of transverse flatfoot

Smoothing of the transverse arch of the foot leads to flattening of its front part, curvature of the big toe and protrusion of its joint outward - the formation of the so-called “bone”, which causes a lot of suffering to its owners (this deformation is most often observed in women).

If earlier treatment such a state consisted of partial or complete removal this “bone” while maintaining the deformation of the foot, then now low-traumatic operations on ligaments and muscles, allowing you to correct the transverse arch and “put in place” the metatarsal bone.

Such operations are most often carried out under local anesthesia and last about an hour. The patient stays in the hospital from several hours to a day. You can lean on your leg on the first day after surgery, provided that the load is reduced. These restrictions are lifted after a week, and after another week the stitches are removed. After three weeks After the intervention, the functions of the foot are completely restored. After the operation, you are prescribed to wear orthopedic insoles for six months. After such treatment, the likelihood of relapse is extremely low.

Treatment of flat feet in adults at home is a good alternative surgical intervention. This does not require expensive equipment or medications. Simple procedures available for self-conducting at home without involving medical workers. To achieve maximum effect, the treatment and preventive program must be agreed upon with an orthopedist or traumatologist.

Efficiency and principles

Flattening of the feet in adults is a serious, rapidly progressing pathology. In adulthood, it is impossible to completely get rid of flat feet at home. However, with the help of therapeutic and preventive measures, it is possible to correct the shape of the foot, prevent the progression of and. This complex therapy using conservative methods:

• massage, self-massage, hydromassage of the legs - feet, ankles, hip area;
• gymnastics – a set of exercises to strengthen the muscular-ligamentous apparatus and tendons;
• wearing special orthopedic structures - shoes, insoles, inserts;
• water treatments for feet at home - baths, contrasting souls, dousing;
• acceptable physical exercise– yoga, swimming, walking, cycling.

Note!

When treating flat feet in adults, orthopedists strongly recommend removing high-heeled or flat-soled shoes from your wardrobe. The permissible heel height is no more than 3-4 cm. Excessively narrow, tight models are excluded.

Water procedures

Deformation of the arches of the feet leads to changes in the position of the metatarsal, tarsal, and phalangeal bones on the legs. The pathology is accompanied by overstrain of muscles, tendons, ligaments, which causes severe pain, discomfort in the legs.

Note!

Water treatment removes pain syndrome, removes muscle tension, promote relaxation and relaxation.

Bath Recipes

• contrast dousing - alternately immerse your feet in baths with hot and cool water, pour your legs up to the knee;
• baths with feet immersed in a warm aqueous solution of table or sea ​​salt, baking soda(1 tbsp per 1 liter);
• baths with warm water with the addition of decoctions medicinal herbs(infuse 100 g of dry herb for 30 minutes in 0.5 liters of boiling water, strain the broth) - sage, oak bark, chamomile, peppermint, immortelle;
• warm baths aqueous solution with the addition of 3 drops alcohol solution iodine, ground into powder, 2 aspirin tablets, 3 drops of lemon juice;
• apply to pre-steamed feet fresh leaves wormwood, wrap with warm cloth, leave for 15 minutes;
• Apply a mixture of mustard powder and table salt (1:2) to the feet steamed after the bath, pour in 1 tbsp. l. kerosene, leave for 15 minutes and rinse.

Treatment foot baths Perform daily for 3-5 days followed by a break for 1 week. Procedures are prohibited from being performed if integrity is violated skin, the presence of inflammation, ulcers, eczema, allergic reaction to components.

Features of hydromassage

Water procedures in the form of hydromassage are an effective treatment for improving blood and lymph circulation in the legs, normalizing metabolic processes and cellular renewal. The method involves exposing a specific area of ​​the body to a stream of water. Features of treatment at home for:

• immerse your feet in a bath, basin or special hydromassage bath;
• pour water over your feet under strong pressure from a hose or a regular shower;
• The whirlpool bath has special jets.

Note!

For best effect You can fill the bottom of the basin with small river pebbles or balls. Immerse your feet in the water, roll the pebbles with your fingers and at the same time pour a stream of water from the shower. The duration of the procedure is up to 15-20 minutes. Then wipe your feet dry, perform self-massage with rubbing, stroking movements from the tips of the fingers to the knee joint.

Principles of therapeutic massage

Regular foot massage is one of the effective ways correct transverse and longitudinal flat feet. It can be carried out independently at home or with the assistance of a qualified specialist. To correct a flattened foot, the massage area includes not only the feet, but also the ankles, knees, hip joints, lumbar region, and sacral area. Basic principles of massage treatment:

• from the ankle, move upward to the hip area using rubbing, stroking, patting movements;
• massage the feet and soles from the tips of the fingers to the ankle with rubbing, circular, twisting movements and the edge of the straightened palm across the plane of the foot;
• massage the arches with the joints of the phalanges of the fingers, clenched into a fist, using rubbing, tapping, vibration, stroking;
• alternately massage the heels of the feet with four fingers connected, with the thumbs resting on the instep of the foot;
• massage of one foot takes at least 10-20 minutes, up to 2-3 sessions are required daily for long period time.

Gradually include in the massage area calf muscles, Achilles tendon area, outside shins, inner surface hips.

Note!

The effectiveness of foot massage for flat feet depends on the regularity, thoroughness, and duration of treatment. Properly performed procedures contribute to the correction of deformed arches of the feet.

Therapeutic gymnastics

Orthopedists are convinced that - best solution question of how to treat flat feet in adults at home. This is an extensive list of exercises to strengthen muscle tone, increase the elasticity of ligaments, tendons, and strengthen the musculoskeletal system of the feet. Treatment allows you to effectively combat transverse and longitudinal flat feet.

Therapeutic walking

The consequences of flat feet affect the functionality of the entire musculoskeletal system. Therefore, it is recommended to improve the health of the whole body. One of effective methods Self-correction of a flattened foot is walking. There are several varieties of it:

• V summer season– barefoot on a relief surface (sand, pebbles, mown grass);
• V winter time– movement along the convex surface of the massage mat;
• walking along a gymnastic stick, the surface of a log, or a mop handle;
• alternate walking on heels and toes, external and inside feet.

A set of exercises for a sitting position

Children and adults with flat feet are strongly recommended to exercise their feet while sitting or supine position. The exercises are easy to do at home, sitting on a chair:

• stretch your legs, rotate your feet alternately in one direction and the other;
• grab and move small objects - toys, balls, handkerchiefs;
• lift pencils, pens with your toes and draw with them in the air or on a sheet of paper;
• lift small balls (rubber, tennis) with your bent feet;
• stroke right foot shin of the left leg and vice versa;
• Without raising your feet, grab the thin fabric with your toes and crumple it;
• wrapping your feet around large balls and moving them.

Note!

Gymnastic exercises for flat feet are performed without excessive load. The lesson is stopped when severe pain, muscle cramps. The possibility of continuing treatment will be agreed upon with the doctor.

A set of exercises for standing position

While standing, it is important to maintain correct posture, avoiding kinks in lumbar region, curvature of the spine. Exercises for flat feet are performed with your feet parallel, without raising your heels and toes:

• alternately rise and fall on your toes and heels;
• stand on the outer edges of your feet and slowly rise onto your toes;
• roll from heel to toe and back;
• stand on the outer edge of the foot and try to squeeze your toes;
• Place your feet one after another in one line and rise on your toes.

Gymnastics does not completely cure flat feet, but it prevents the progression of the disease. Swimming, yoga, cycling and hiking. Integrated approach ensures the effectiveness of treatment and sustainable results that can be maintained for for many years.