Flexible Flat Foot, Short Tendo-Achilles, and Altered Gait

Background Pediatric patients often present with vague complaints involving the anterolateral foot and ankle, the medial knee, the lower back, and the hip. In our experience, closer examination of these patients reveals a constellation of symptoms that involve pathology in the ankle, knee, back, and hip. This study aimed to detail the identification and treatment of patients with the triad of flexible flat feet, tight Achilles complex, and altered gait, and their clinical course over time. Methods All patients of age 18 years or younger who presented to our urban academic center outpatient clinic with foot, ankle, patellar, low back, or hip pain or pathology were included. Patients with identified tarsal coalitions, accessory naviculars, malalignment syndrome, bone cysts or tumors, soft tissue tumors, arthropathy, neuropathy, infection, limb length inequality, patellar subluxation or dislocation, or spinal pathology were excluded. For each patient, demographic information, symptom description, treatment, and clinical course, including the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) was recorded. Results A total of 62 patients were included in our study. Patients mostly presented with low back pain (n=24, 38.7%), medial patellar pain (n=36, 58.1%), anterolateral ankle pain (n=35, 56.5%), and vague foot pain (n=13, 21.0%). Overall, 53.8% of patients with back pain at the initial visit, 35.0% of patients with knee pain, 44.4% of patients with ankle pain and 80.0% of patients with foot pain improved at final follow up. While patient-reported sports and recreation subscale scores demonstrated a significant improvement at the final follow-up compared to baseline scores (p=0.02), all other scores did not significantly differ compared to baseline scores. At final follow-up, 12 of 26 (46.2%) patients reported being able to return to play in their desired sport. Conclusion Complaints of back, hip, knee, ankle, or foot pain in the pediatric population can be early markers for a constellation of conditions that include low back pain, flexible flat feet, Achilles contracture, and altered gait due to increased lateral subluxation of the patella and hip flexion.