Child Foot Disorders

"He is the best doctor hands down. We have a plan for my son's care and I'm completely comfortable with him and trust him with every aspect of care for my son and even my family. I would never go to another foot doctor when the best is right here in town. You ROCK Dr. V!"

ISAIAH | JUN 30, 2023

Children’s foot deformities can be a problem that’s present at birth or something that develops and becomes problematic later. Foot deformities in children are more common than you may think, and they can be treated quite successfully.

At Advanced Foot & Ankle of Virginia, board-certified foot and ankle surgeon, Ryan Vazales, DPM, DABFAS, FACFAS, will carefully examine your child's feet and work with you and your child to determine the best possible treatment plan. Dr. Vazales is committed to providing patient-centered care for you child, always keeping the family involved every step of the way.

What are some of the most common conditions children develop?

• Clubfoot – One of the most common birth defects, this is present at your child’s birth. One or both feet appear to curve in, creating a “clubbed” look. With careful and highly precise treatment through your child’s infancy, the feet can be properly aligned, allowing your child to walk normally and have better function. Our team specializes in treating this particular condition.
• Cavus foot – This is an issue with excessively high arches. Usually, it develops slowly over the first decade of life, causing pain and increasing your child’s risk for calluses and injuries like ankle sprains. This condition may be connected to nerve or muscular issues.
• Tarsal coalition – This kind of rigid flatfoot is the result of two or more tarsal bones in the middle or back of the foot fusing together. Typically pain from the problem doesn’t develop until your child is older, as the “bridge” between the bones hardens.
• Polydactyly – Occasionally children are born with extra toes. It could be nothing more than a little nub, or a more fully formed extra digit.
• Syndactyly – Sometimes children are born with “webbed” toes. This could be nothing more than excess skin between the digits, or could involve extra bone, nerves, and blood vessels as well.
• Polysyndactyly – Children can be born with both an extra digit and webbing between their toes. Depending on how developed these extra features are, the more advanced the surgery will be to correct it.
• Juvenile bunion – Just like in adults, the first metatarsal and the big toe can slide out of alignment, creating a bump on the side of the joint where the two meet. This can make wearing shoes and sometimes even being active very uncomfortable for your child.
• Brachymetatarsia – Very rarely, one of the metatarsal bones will not grow correctly and be much shorter than the others at birth. This can cause painful biomechanical issues when walking.
• Intoeing and Out-toeing – Sometimes children’s toes appear to point inward or outward when they walk. This is a gait abnormality that children normally outgrow, but it is something worth monitoring in case it becomes painful or is connected to a more serious condition.
• Metadducus – Also called metatarsus adductus, your child is born with one or both feet appearing to curve so the toes point inward toward each other. With early casting and stretching, the toes can be entirely straightened out by the time your child begins to walk.
• Vertical talus – Occasionally the ankle (talus) bone does not develop correctly, resulting in a foot that points upward at birth. In some cases, stretching and casting can help improve this problem, but the bone’s position may need to be surgically corrected after serial casting.

Call Advanced Foot & Ankle of Virginia or book an appointment online to discuss care options for your child.