Can Anyone Tell Me If Their Children Have Had to Wear Corrective Shoes?

I asked my pediatrician about special shoes or leg braces (her father and his brother both had them as infants) and he said its typically not done these days. Most children just outgrow it.

Both my son and daughter are flat footed and our dr. didn't suggest anything more than having them shoes all day long that have high archs. When I was a baby in the 70's, I had turned in feet and had to wear corrective shoes. They bolted a metal bar to the bottom of my shoes to keep my feet straight and help turn them outward. It worked too! As a young child, about 3rd or 4th grade, my husband also had corrective shoes. His feet turned in and he was knock kneed. Then put some sort of belt around his waist and cables ran down then, on each leg to his shoes - I also believe there was some sort of brace involved. But this went under his clothing, so no one saw or knew. His legs are fixed and his feet still turn in slightly. But all that was stuff they did in the 70's and 80's. I'm sure there re more modern things today. Good luck with everything!

Hi,
I'm not a mother but when I was 1 year old I had to wear special shoes with a bar every night for a year. My feet were turned in. The shoes worked but according to my parents I hated them. I don't think I had physical therapy but this was back in the 70s.

Hi. I know this is a hard decision to make. I recommend Dr. Brett Blitzstein who is a wonderful chiropractor. I would at least try him before you do anything else. He has helped my sister with her feet problems and she was knock kneed also- He has made a huge difference in her and my family's life. He is a non-traditional chiro, which means, NO CRACKING! He does a massage like techinique which is good for all ages. He has a "Set Your Own Fee" pay policy, so everyone can pay whatever they can afford. No questions or forms for this, just slip your money in covered box. He is wonderful, we drive 45 minutes to see him because he is in Powell, worth it!
Dr. Brett Blitzstein, ###-###-####. If you get an answering machine, leave a message because he keeps his fees low by not having a receptionist, but he is quick to call back and make same day appointments, he is open Mon-Sat.

I know a lot of people with flat feet and all of them just wear orthadics, never needed surgery or physical therapy. My fiance has had them for a while, my cousin who is now 6 has had them since she was 2, and one of the boys in my home daycare has them.
I think they do work well and most doctors will tell you that the earlier you start using them the better. In fact my cousins doctor told them that if it is corrected by age 5 it is more likely to last forever and can only be helped but can't be fixed. Whereas in my fiance's case he still has problems because he didn't get his first pair until high school.
Now my cousin and the boy in the daycare both of their insurances cover orthadics... but my fiance's does not. I think it is because of age but it may also be that certain companies do cover it and others don't, I'm not sure. I would recommend calling your insurance company to ask them if your doctor requires these whether or not they will be covers partially or in full. This is important because they are quite costly!!!
On that note if it is not covered and you live in the Toledo area I know of a shoe store that will sell orthadics that are not costum made but that are sized to your foot and that mold to the foot within the first week. My fiance just got these kind about 4 weeks ago and he says they feel just like his orthadics, but are very inexpensive. He works at GM and is on his feet all day... they use to bother him but now they don't.
I think orthadics do help and if your child's doctor says to get them then I would either go through your insurance or go to that place. (I don't know the name or addy off hand but I can ask him, so if you need it just email me)

Hope this info is helpful!!

Don't be hasty. Certainly, if you have a family history of needing corective footwear it is a possibility- but diagnosing flat-footedness on a child under 4? That's really difficult to do so, and I hope you are waiting to see the specialist.
Younger children are so often misdiagnosed with flat feet instead of other common problems such as under developing ankle or calf muscles just because there is the extra fat on the sole of their foot making it appear flatter than normal.

Hold out for the specialist. It could be something entirely different. My husband, as a child, was diagnosed as flat-footed by his mother and grandmother (both specialized pediatric nurses). After taking him to a specialist, it was determined that one less had less bone mass than the other and was causing his "walking funny". his feet were fine. Instead of special shoes, he ended up with physical therapy. Just to show you how medical personnell can misdiagnose something so common.

Hi R.,
Well here is my background. I wore corrective shoes as a child and then worked in Sports Medicine Physical Therapy for 14 years. I would say yes get the shoes. If the Dr. suggests them. I know there is a lot of differening opinions with Dr as to how well they work, but why not try it. They are easier than exercises and much better than surgery. If you get the problem fixed now you can stop a lot of problems in the future. I remember as a child before teh shoes when we would walk for a long time I would start to kick the inside of my ankles until they bleed. I still remember christmas shopping as a painful memory. I had a friend who needed the shoes and her mom did not make her wear them for cosmetic reasons. We are now in our 40's and she still walks funny, I can only imagine the long term orthopediac problems she has.

I was in elementary school when I had to wear the ugly shoes and I did get teased a little for them. The biggest scar from that is that I now love shoes and can't have to many.

Best of luck,
J.

Hi R.,
I admit that wearing corrective shoe should help to a larger extent. But i think your little one is too smal to decide on that. i had read in American baby that its only after the age of 3+ one understands that a child has a flat foot problem or so.. in order to add to it .. my brother had this problem .. but he wasn't regular wearing the corrective shoes. still he no problems with his leg now.. at the age of 22 ..

My husband had that problem when he was young. He had to wear the shoes because his feet were soooo flat that they were almost inverted. The shoes were incredibly painful for his, then there were inserts which were just as painful. He put up with the pain for a few years and finally his mother had had enough because he would at times refuse to walk his feet hurt so bad. YOu know what!?! His feet are still flat, and he is a medical mistery/miracle. He played soccer for 18 years and every year he had a physical to check his feet and doctors were amazed that he didn't break his ankles when he walked because all of his weight is dupported on his anklebones, that's what he walks on, his feet curve into a smily face instead of arch into a frown. He did have to quit soccer at 25 because of his ankles and his knees. Moral of the story, get all of the facts and second opinions because whether parents/doctors tell you if it hurts your child or not, you and they didn't have to feel it, my husband did and our daughter has flatter feet but in now way shape or form will I or her father submit her to that pain.

I had to wear corrective shoes as a child. I had no physical therapy, surgery or anything else. The only thing I remember is them being unattractive. This was in the early 70's. I'm sure they are much better now. I have never had any trouble with my feet as a teen or as an adult. I happen to have low arches, but decent, (regular) shoes help that.