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COMMON FOOT COMPLAINTS
Curly/Retracted Toes
At birth, some children are born with retracted toes that will not lie flat. Soft cartilage can easily be bent and so providing good supportive non-restrictive shoes will help the child’s feet grow without exacerbating the problem.
This condition can settle down with the foot adapting to it’s new environment; however, the condition needs to be dealt with as the child will in most cases feel no pain and consequently can develop and grow without the parent noticing the problem.
Treatment (claw toes)
Treatment depends on the severity of the deformity. When the toes first start to buckle, they can easily be straightened. If the condition is caused by flat feet. Orthotics (custom-made footbeds) can provide effective relief.
If neglected and not treated early on with orthotics, surgery will most likely be required. Normally this involves Arthroplasy (a minor operation that allows the toe to straighten); however, if this is unsuccessful, then an Arthrodesis is required (when the surgeon ensures the two bones of the toe actually fuse together to relieve the pain).
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