Flat Feet

It’s not uncommon for kiddos with airway issues (tongue ties, clenching, low oral tone, high narrow palates, etc) to also have issues with their feet. 

When my husband and I noticed flat feet on our two boys years ago, we went to PT and were shown stretches and exercises to do with our kids every day. While those exercises were great, we weren’t very compliant with doing them every day. 

To help our youngest meet sensory-seeking needs and get the dynamic input to his feet he required, my husband put in a pond with big lumpy rocks. 

The result? 

My youngest son, who is obsessed with the fish, rocks, and lizards, significantly strengthened his feet, improved his balance, and has gotten a lovely amount of grounding everyday since. Our feet benefit from dynamic, uneven surfaces, with bumps, curves and slopes - not to mention texture differences. 

Always seek out the expertise of a pediatric PT to help your child with foot/gait issues, and consider barefoot exploration with them outside to support their overall development. The feet have 26 bones incredibly designed to support the rest of our body as we shift and move. If we are only using limited range of the foot, the rest of our body will take the hit as we move up the joints and fascial planes. This often results in compensation patterns that lead to TMJ, neck, facial tension and dysfunction. 

How do you encourage your kids to encounter the world with their feet? Let me know in the comments! 

Engage your feet, move better, and breathe better.

You’ve got this - let’s go make some Myo Magic!