Childhood Obesity Linked To Foot Pain

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Childhood Obesity Linked To Foot Pain

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=61234

January 17, 2007) Doctors with the American College of Foot and

Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) say they're noticing more and more overweight

and obese children with foot and ankle pain in their examining

rooms, mirroring a national epidemic of childhood obesity.

An estimated 16 percent of U.S. children ages six to 19 are

overweight. Poor diet, lack of exercise and genetics can play a

role. A " vicious cycle " of foot pain and obesity traps some children.

" You want overweight children to exercise and lose weight, but

because of their weight, their feet hurt and they can't exercise, "

says Thanh Dinh, DPM, FACFAS, a foot and ankle surgeon in Boston.

The foot is a complex structure consisting of 26 bones, 33 joints

and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. Last November,

researchers in Britain reported " alarming new evidence that

childhood obesity changes foot structure and results in instability

when walking. " Being overweight flattens the foot, straining the

plantar fascia, a band of tissue which runs from the heel to the

base of the toes, causing heel pain.

Because the heel bone is not fully developed until age 14 or older,

overweight children are more prone to Sever's disease. Although not

an actual disease, according to FootPhysicians.com, it involves an

inflammation of the heel's growth plate due to muscle strain and

repetitive stress. Walking makes the pain worse. Being overweight

may also cause stress fractures, or hairline fractures (breaks) in a

child's heel bone.

Arch pain afflicts many of the children treated by Darryl Haycock,

DPM, FACFAS. The northwest Ohio foot and ankle surgeon says the

average age of these boys and girls ranges from eight to 12, but

he's treated some as young as four.

" The numbers are definitely increasing. I treat four to five

overweight children a week, " he says.

Haycock notes some overweight children suffer foot pain from

congenital or inherited foot conditions, such as bunions,

hammertoes, pediatric flatfoot and tarsal coalition, an abnormal

connection between two or more bones in the back of the foot.

Children with these deformities may be less active because of pain.

Sometimes a child will complain of calf or arch pain. This results

from a flatfoot that is flexible. The collapsing of the arch can

require more energy, making it more difficult for a child to walk

and run.

Foot and ankle surgeons treat many overweight children with custom

orthotic devices (shoe inserts), physical therapy and other

conservative measures to reduce or eliminate pain. But treating

painful feet and ankles is only part of the childhood weight loss

equation, says Nava, DPM, FACFAS. The suburban Dallas surgeon

has treated weight-related foot problems in toddlers to teenagers.

" As foot and ankle surgeons, we can reduce the aches and pains so

these children can run around and play like all the other kids, but

parents need to watch their childrens' lifestyles and diets, " he

says.

For more information on pediatric foot and ankle conditions, or to

find a foot and ankle surgeon, visit the ACFAS patient information

Web site, http://FootPhysicians.com.