Popular Science | Severe wear on the inner heel of kids' shoes? Watch out for foot valgus!
What is heel valgus?
Foot valgus refers to excessive eversion of the calcaneus or ankle joint, commonly described as "heels tilting outward". Its main manifestations include collapsed longitudinal arch, hindfoot valgus and prominent medial malleolus.
This is a deformity caused by abnormal development of foot tendons, accompanied by flat feet and navicular collapse.
What are the symptoms?
1、sprain、pain
The valgus foot posture increases tension on the inner ankle and pressure on the outer side. Excessive inner tension stretches and weakens the medial collateral ligaments, making the inner ankle prone to sprains.
Pain typically occurs on the medial plantar side and inner hindfoot, and worsens after prolonged standing or walking, which also aggravates foot valgus.
Apart from foot discomfort, walking and jumping exert outward force on the knees, resulting in pain on the medial side of the knee joints.
2、Abnormal gait and abnormal force line
It may lead to a splay-footed gait and abnormal lower limb biomechanical alignment, which slows running speed and increases fall risks.
The human body is an interconnected whole; a minor issue in one part can affect the entire body. Foot disorders hinder the development of lower limb muscles and bones and cause ankle deformities. Further up the body, mechanical deviation of the feet will trigger a chain of problems: outward tilting of the calves and medial rotation of the knees, also known as knock knees. A case from our online parent consultation shows that the child has obvious foot valgus, which has already affected the calves and knees.
Modern lifestyles make children prone to postural and foot-ankle problems due to bad habits. Without timely correction, these issues will progressively worsen and bring about serious consequences.
Is foot valgus related to flat feet?
Flat feet are one of the leading causes of foot valgus. In most cases, foot valgus results from collapsed foot arches. When the medial longitudinal arch flattens, the inner sole loses structural support. The medial side of the foot sinks downward, causing the heel to turn outward naturally — this forms a chain reaction.
Foot valgus is usually accompanied by a lost foot arch, so the two conditions are closely linked and share the same corrective approaches. Treatments for flat feet can be applied to correct foot valgus.
Since foot valgus caused by flat feet is a structural problem, rehabilitative exercises are recommended as part of the overall correction plan.
Improvement Methods
