Waa, Waa Flat Feet, Have You Any Shoes?

Brainy boy has flat feet. Not just any flat feet, but flaaaaat feet. I became aware of this when he was about 4, and my sister snickered as he stepped out of the swimming pool. "What?" I asked realizing that something about my perfect little angel struck her funny. We both peered down at the water-print from his feet. Something about the fact that the print was more like a little triangle rather than a heel print with a skinny part leading to the front of the foot made us giggle. Looking back, I realized that his baby prints from the hospital were pretty much the same, so he apparently was born with this little anomoly. At the next scheduled physical I made a note to ask the pediatrician if this was a big deal, and she assured me that pes planus (the medical term) is actually quite common and generally not problematic.

The next couple of years showed no symptoms, until about two years ago. Suddenly, Brainy Boy, who doesn't carry much interest in organized sports anyway, began to complain even on our treks through the woods, shopping trips or other times we were on our feet for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Lectures on laziness ensued until a couple of game nights in our church gym produced excruciating pain by the time we were getting him ready for bed. I asked for a referral to a physical therapist for custom orthotics as well as some exercises to stretch his hamstrings which are tied about as tight as a violin string. I was a bit smug when I learned that getting the shoe inserts from the physical therapist would set me back a mere $125 rather than the $350 estimated by the local podiatrist.

Well, two more years later, and the pain is still present, persistent, annoying, aggravating even with religious use of the shoe inserts and not-so-religious use of the exercises which require my assistance. Now I will admit that Brainy Boy has an aversion to anything remotely bothersome and so has cajoled me into getting him velcro sneakers rather than big-boy tie shoes, and I'm sure this contributes to the problem of not enough foot support.

BUT, I took the next step and visited a shoe specialist today who did a computer analysis of Brainy Boy's feet, confirmed that he is indeed extremely flat-footed, puts all his weight on the area where his arch should be (thus the hurting ankles) and recommended a trip to the podiatrist. An analysis of the 'bargain' inserts confirmed that they are not adequate and we will soon be spending the $350 on a pair of substantial shoe supports that will last for the next two shoe sizes.

I have been bemoaning the fact that Brainy Boy has stayed exactly the same size for the last two grades (3rd & 4th). Now my luck has run out. I'm sure as soon as we get these feet casted, the orthotics made and put into a new pair of shoes, he will spring into action with a gargantuan growth spurt and soon need bigger pair of $350 foot supports, and then another, and then another. Maybe we should go for the little spring-loaded thingy that you can actually have surgically implanted to severely flat feet. Then not only would it be permanent, I would have the bonus of getting Tigger for a son....boing....boing.....boing.....boing.