Childrens Orthotics

At Enable Orthotics we understand how important it is to get any medical treatment right first time for your child, especially when they are in pain or having issues with mobility.
Having worked within paediatric services in specialist orthopaedic and paediatric hospitals our Orthotist Emma has extensive experience in the orthotic management of routine and complex orthotic treatments of children of all ages.

Common medical conditions in children that may require Foot Orthotics:

• Reoccurring pain in feet, legs or lower back
• Reoccurring trips or ankle sprains
• Hyper mobility (EDS)
• Severs Disease
• Osgood-Schlatters Disease
• Toe walking
• Downs Syndrome
• Bunions (Hallux Valgus)

This is a very common question that arises in an Orthotics clinic. The answer is – it depends.
The main arch in the foot does not fully develop until the ages of 10-12 years old. Therefore it is normal for a young childs foot to display a flattening of the arch when standing. Providing the child is not complaining of reoccurring pain, there is no history of foot problems in the family and the foot posture looks the same on both feet there is not normally a need for Foot Orthotics.
However if a child is complaining of reoccurring pain in their feet, knees, legs or lower back this could be a sign of a bio-mechanical problem which may benefit from the use of a functional Foot Orthotics (insoles) to manage symptoms.

Ankle foot Orthoses (AFOs) are commonly prescribed for children with medical conditions such as cerebral palsy or Spina Bifida. AFOs are normally prescribed to improve gait and maintain range of motion in the foot and ankle joint.
AFOs are commonly prescribed within the NHS. However some parents may chose to have AFO prescribed privately to avoid waiting times or to have slim line carbon fibre AFOs which are not always readily available on the NHS.
Some parents may also chose to see a private Orthotist to seek a second opinion on their child’s AFOs to ensure what they have currently from the NHS is the best option for them.