Parents Flat Feet

[munchkin3]

My child has been really doing some hard tumbling and foot pain is really setting in. He has always had flat feet and the doctors have said they are 'flexible flat feet' or, when he is off his feet, the arch is there. When he stands it is flat.
Are there any good supports while doing gymnastics?

 

[profmom]

Has he been taping?

 

[skschlag]

D started taping his arches and that helped. Also, just having good inserts in his shoes seemed to help as well.

 

[munchkin3]

No, i don't know how to tape. I can ask the coaches?

 

[bogwoppit]

Mine used FABs arch supports. They worked great, but got pricey due to durability.

 

[gracyomalley]

anyone have a link to the best way to tape arches for a 14 year old 125 lb L7-8 male gymnast whose feet and everything else are hypermobile? I am generally in the "suck it up" camp for all his aches and pains as he "always" has something in a wrist, ankle, elbow, foot, etc....(I don't ignore the big stuff - but he is a boy, after all, and a bit of a complainer!)....his feet are, however, extremely flat (flexible flat, but scary in flip flops - which he knows he shouldn't wear, but....

 

[munchkin3]

Sounds like my son! He has been tumbling like crazy and his feet are really sore....I inquired about the FABS strap, and was shown the Mueller ones too. We will see.
Is there a difference between flat feet and flexible flat feet? My pediatrician always said that flexible flat feet go away as they get older.....not seeing that!!!
Yes, a complainer too....my 9 yo DD is tougher!

 

[bogwoppit]

The problem with the "suck it up camp' for flat feet is that it can cause pain right up through their spines.

My youngest was always complaining about pain, still is two years after gym. Turns out she has hypermobility syndrome. Complaining for a reason.

 

[Gymsanity]

anyone have a link to the best way to tape arches for a 14 year old 125 lb L7-8 male gymnast whose feet and everything else are hypermobile? I am generally in the "suck it up" camp for all his aches and pains as he "always" has something in a wrist, ankle, elbow, foot, etc....(I don't ignore the big stuff - but he is a boy, after all, and a bit of a complainer!)....his feet are, however, extremely flat (flexible flat, but scary in flip flops - which he knows he shouldn't wear, but....

All the coaches would like to band together to outlaw home trampolines, can I start a campaign to outlaw flip flop footwear for kids??

 

[Rockygym]

I would second the outlawing of flip flops. I keep throwing them away and friend keep giving her new ones

 

[skschlag]

I hate flip flops! They are awful.

Back to the taping. I was told, by a coach on here, to just tape around the arches. That's it. If we do it tonight, I will try to post a picture.

 

[Sam'sMom]

Google kinesio tape and you might find some ideas, also you might be able to find a PT who's trained in kinesio tape, they might be willing to teach you and sell you a roll; I'd look at the private PT's not the big companies on every corner. They often have insoles that can be made to order, really good.
We have a "Flip Flop" store in our mall, I went in and asked for the ones with the most arch support; they were $30, but they've lasted 2 years and she has no foot pain, it is SO worth it!

 

[sce]

Along with the things said above. How is his achilles? Is it tight? A tight achilles can cause pain in the foot.

 

[Kiwi]

There are also foot exercises you can do to strengthen the arches. For example 'doming' the arch of the foot, lifting and spreading the toes, lifting the big toe and then swapping with the other toes, 'caterpillar' walks across the floor.

 

[Ex member]

My youngest was always complaining about pain, still is two years after gym. Turns out she has hypermobility syndrome. Complaining for a reason.

My oldest gymnast has this and has started to get pain in her ankles,she is not a complainer by nature and this is the first time she has mentioned it. Dd is able to continue with gymnastics as she is in a disability squad, her hours are increasing from 3 1/2 to 6 hours next month and I will have to monitor her pain etc.

I don't think my dd has flat feet but something is not right about them and she walks and runs on what I call her back heel, I put that down as part of her hypermobility.

 

[profmom]

Can flat feet or hypermobility cause ankle pain?

 

[bogwoppit]

Yes they both can. They can cause pain in the knees, ankles, hips and spine.

With flat feet it is about alignment, if your foot has no arch then your ankles roll in, which throws everything off in a big chain reaction. For some this causes pain.

Hypermobility causes joint pain, lots of it.

Having both is not fun at all.

 

[profmom]

Huh. I wonder if this is part of the reason my DD is still having trouble. She's never been formally diagnosed as hypermobile, but she does have about 10% of hyperextension in both elbows and pretty decent oversplits. Her wet footprints suggest that she has decent arches, but maybe they are collapsing when she runs.

I am looking forward to the picture of the arch taping. I think I'll have her try it.

 

[bogwoppit]

Huh. I wonder if this is part of the reason my DD is still having trouble. She's never been formally diagnosed as hypermobile, but she does have about 10% of hyperextension in both elbows and pretty decent oversplits. Her wet footprints suggest that she has decent arches, but maybe they are collapsing when she runs.

I am looking forward to the picture of the arch taping. I think I'll have her try it.

Definitely worth having that investigated. Arch support really helped my dd when she was younger. Now she is just a heap of painful joints.

 

[skschlag]

LOL. He isn't taping anymore. He only does it if they are hurting.

But really...he JUST taped around the arches. So he went under the arch and over the top of the foot. Think what you would do on a wrist for pommel, but on the arch. Nothing fancy at all. He was doing it to get up on his toes...but it helped with his pronation as well.

We DID have a PT look at him and suggest heel cups in his shoes to align him better. I think that had as much to with the success as the taping did.