Symptoms
The symptoms vary depending on the type of foot malposition. As a rule, the deformation of the foot can be seen externally, depending on how severe it is. If the patient tries to move or put weight on the foot in spite of the deformity, this can cause pain depending on the movement or load.
In the case of the hollow foot, for example, the arch of the foot is too high. Painful pressure points can develop on the back of the foot. In addition, muscles whose permanent stretching fails due to the defective position can shorten and restrict the freedom of movement.
One consequence is an unphysiological and unsafe gait. With a flat foot, the malpositions can be pronounced to varying degrees. A severe form is already called a flat foot.
When the sole of the foot is strained, pain can occur in the middle foot. Also, standing on the heel and especially on tiptoe is usually more difficult for those affected. The splayfoot, which is often caused by wearing heel shoes, rarely causes symptoms.
It is mainly a cosmetic problem. In some cases, the splayfoot can cause a so-called “hallux valgus“. This causes the toes to pull themselves into a very crooked position.
The body weight is shifted to the front ball of the foot. Under certain circumstances, this can develop pain depending on the load. The hallux valgus is a foot malposition in which the toes are tilted due to permanent, incorrect strain.
Hallux refers to the big toe, because its metatarsal is mainly affected by the misalignment. The development of a hallux valgus is very often related to the splayfoot. In the case of a splayfoot, the toes diverge and the ball area in the front foot widens.
A tendon of the big toe, which originates at the metatarsus, does not stretch outwards when the foot spreads and pushes the big toe inwards. Due to the permanent tensile load on the tendon in the middle, the bone gives way further and further inwards. The cause of splayfoot and also of hallux valgus is to a large extent modern footwear.
Pointed shoes do not correspond to the normal shape of the foot and exert permanent pressure on the toes. A heel puts pressure on the ball of the foot and increases the problem. A sickle foot is often a congenital foot malposition.
In this case, the front foot bulges inwards and a sickle shape of the foot is created.This is probably caused by pressure in the womb due to lack of space in the uterus. Over the years, the sickle foot normally disappears by itself as the child grows. Deliberate bending of the foot into the normal position can be beneficial for the regression.
A clubfoot is easily recognized by the position of the feet which deviates greatly from the normal position. They are turned downwards and inwards, with the sole of the foot rotating towards the body. The clubfoot causes a congenital malformation of the extremities, which can have several causes in the womb.
The foot can be deformed with varying degrees of severity, but therapy must be started as soon as possible. This usually consists of a minor operation and mainly conservative therapies, such as the application of a plaster cast. Exercises that can be effective against some of the foot deformities are also known as foot gymnastics.
The exercise is primarily aimed at strengthening the foot muscles and increasing mobility in the joints. Many of the foot problems begin in childhood, as children’s feet are still very soft and can easily be deformed. The muscles of the arch of the foot are also not yet strong and mature in childhood, which is why little movement can lead to early foot malpositions.
Children’s feet also feel less restricted in ill-fitting and unphysiological shoes. It is therefore important to ensure that the right footwear is worn, but also to allow the foot as much freedom of movement as possible. The exercises include walking barefoot on different terrain.
Foot gymnastics involves deliberately performing different movements with the feet and toes. For example, grasping objects with the toes strengthens the foot and its muscles. In children’s gymnastics but also in some sports, for example ballet, exercises are consciously performed to strengthen the foot muscles. So-called “barefoot parks” can also strengthen the foot by requiring you to adapt to different terrain barefoot.
