4 year old rolling on ankles - Foot Problems Message Board

marcine26 · 09-15-2008, 09:11 AM

Hi Everyone,
First off not sure if I should post here or on childrens board, this is my first choice, hopefully someone can help.
My son is 4 years old and about 6 months ago I noticed his ankles are like turned on the instep. Oh gosh I have no idea how to describe this but I just looked it up and it looks like a pronated ankle. The inside of feet/ankle or like rolling or something. I didnt start to notice it until the summer when he was barefoot alot.
I was planning on waiting until he got sick and i have to bring him to the dr and I would mention it, but my luck he will have a clean fall/winter and he wont be seen until he 5 year in June.
What is this, what does it mean, does he need to be seen by a specialist. I am at a loss of what to do next, if anything.

Thank you

jammyslisa · 09-15-2008, 05:48 PM

You're right, that is called pronating. I normally see it in students of mine who have cerebral palsy. You need to see an orthopedist and maybe an orthotist. An orthotist can make you a "brace" to correct the pronation. One of my students wore a small device in his shoes and others wore AFO's, braces on their lower legs. Another doctor you could try would be a physiatrist.

Lisa

happyfoot17 · 09-15-2008, 06:10 PM

most people with this problem can have it corrected easily with orthotics that fit inside the shoe and no one can see, it is relatively cheap and easy problem to solve usually, so don't worry too much but do take him to see a good podiatrist rather quickly as I imagine he is pretty active being 4, so you don't want him to hurt anything or develop a strange walk compensating for his ankles.

marcine26 · 09-16-2008, 05:49 AM

THank you both for your responses.

I called his pediatrician and they want to see him first so they can refer me to proper dr.

I did a little reading on it and he so fit mold of what they said with kids, 2 things being 1- always tripping on his own feet. He is the biggest klutz known to man. I am constantly getting accident reports from school, he just tripped, over nothing.
2- the other thing being always being tired. He constantly complains that he tired after walking in the mall or through a parking lot. We thought he was jsut lazy and wanted us to carry him.

He did break his ankle last summer and we were kinda shocked to hear that it was broken but that another thing I read that they are prone to breaking bones in the foot/ankle cause the muscles arent strong enough yet.

I am taking him to his regular dr tomorrow and hopefully get a referral from them.

Thank you again

happyfoot17 · 09-16-2008, 08:24 AM

Good luck, I'm sure it will work out great! and he'll be running around causing trouble in no time