Boy Has Flat Feet Surgery Thanks to Shrine Club

Boy Has Flat Feet Surgery Thanks to Shrine Club

Eleven-year-old Garrett Bonneville, center, with LaGrange Shriners Ralph Thompson, left, and James Shelnutt in LaGrange after his surgery at a Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville, S.C.Flat feet can sometimes be so painful that walking becomes nearly impossible. Such was the case with 11-year-old Garret Bonneville, whose feet were so bad that orthotics in his shoes, braces, and bone surgery did nothing to improve them.

Finally, Garrett’s great-grandmother called the LaGrange Shrine club. The Shrine club is a group that works with non-profit hospitals to get care for children from disadvantaged families. Thanks to the Shrine club, Garrett has already had the corrective surgery he needed on his right foot, and is scheduled to have the procedure done on his left foot soon.

Pronounced cases of flat feet can be hard to live with. If you have flat feet and are in constant discomfort, seek the care of a podiatrist like Dr. Alan Discont of Family Foot & Ankle Care, PC. Dr. Discont can assess your condition and work with you to determine the best steps to take.

What are Flat Feet?

Flat feet are a condition in which the arch of the foot is depressed and the sole of the foot is almost completely in contact with the ground. Standing about 20-30% of the population generally has flat feet because their arch never formed during growth.

Conditions & Problems:

Having flat feet makes it difficult to run or walk because of the stress placed on the ankles.

Alignment – The general alignment of your legs can be disrupted, because the ankles move inward which can cause major discomfort.

Knees – if you have complications with your knees, flat feet can be a contributor to arthritis in that area.  

Symptoms:

- Pain around the heel or arch area
- Trouble standing on the tip toe.
- Swelling around the inside of the ankle.
- Flat look to one or both feet.
- Having your shoes feel uneven when worn

Treatment:

If you are experiencing pain and stress on the foot you may weaken the posterior tibial tendon, which runs around the inside of the ankle. There are several ways to help treat this pain and help flat feet.

Barefoot- studies show that those who grew up going barefoot, wearing less closed-toe shoes have more of an arch.

To learn more about Flat Feet, follow the link below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our two offices which are located in Sun Lakes or Chandler, AZ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

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