SECTOR 27, GURUGRAM · FREE SCREENING
Flat feet are common in growing children. A few need a closer look.
Most flexible flat feet are simply a normal part of growing up. This free 3-minute check helps you tell the difference — and shows you exactly what to do next if it matters.
Guided by Dr. Manoj Padman, Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon
One family's path from foot pain to a confident stride
WAYPOINT 01 · UNDERSTAND
What is a flat foot, really?
The sole of the foot has a natural inward curve along its inner edge, called the medial longitudinal arch. In a flexible flat foot, this arch flattens when standing but reappears when the foot is lifted off the ground or the child stands on tiptoe. This is by far the most common pattern in young children — their arches are simply still developing, and most build a visible arch naturally by around age eight or later.
A rigid (structural) flat foot is less common. Here the arch stays flat even on tiptoe, whether the foot is bearing weight or not. This pattern can be linked to how the bones and joints of the foot are connected, and it's the pattern that most needs a professional look.
Normal / high arch
Clear gap along the inner sole — the classic wet-footprint shape.
Flat / low arch
Little to no gap — the sole makes near full contact with the ground.
You'll use this exact wet-footprint idea in the check below — no equipment needed beyond water and a dry floor or sheet of paper.
WAYPOINT 02 · WHY IT MATTERS
When a flat foot is more than a phase
For most children, a flexible flat foot causes no trouble at all. But when a symptomatic or structural flat foot is left unaddressed, it can quietly lead to:
Pain that lingers
Ongoing pain in the foot, ankle or heel — often worse after play or sport.
Tiring faster than friends
Early fatigue and reduced stamina during walking, running or standing play.
Compensating up the chain
Extra strain carried up into the knees, hips and lower back through an altered walking pattern.
Uneven wear on soft tissue
Overload of the posterior tibial tendon and supporting soft tissue over time.
Quietly avoiding activity
Kids stepping back from sport or play because their feet tire or hurt, without saying why.
Harder to change later
In structural cases, the deformity can progress with growth if it isn't picked up early.
This isn't a reason to worry about every child with a flat-looking foot. Most flexible flat feet are physiological and need nothing more than time. Our aim is to find the smaller number of children who genuinely need care — not to turn a normal childhood stage into a diagnosis.
WAYPOINT 03 · CHECK
Take the 3-minute foot check
Answer a few guided questions about what you observe. You'll get an instant, plain-language read on where things stand — and what, if anything, to do next.
Before you begin
We'll use these details only to save your result and help with next steps if needed.
WAYPOINT 04 · CLASSIFICATION PATHWAY
The flatfoot classification & treatment pathway
Not every flat foot is the same, and not every flat foot needs treatment. This is the pathway we follow — your result below is highlighted once you've completed the check above.
Physiological / Asymptomatic Flatfoot
Education + reassurance.
Flexible Flatfoot with functional abnormalities
Exercise / physiotherapy → orthotic assessment if needed → follow-up.
Symptomatic Flatfoot
Paediatric orthopaedic assessment and individualised treatment.
Suspicious / Structural Flatfoot
Paediatric orthopaedic evaluation → imaging / investigation + treatment.
Groups 1 and 2 make up most of the children we see. This pathway exists to protect that normal majority from over-treatment, while making sure Groups 3 and 4 are found and cared for early.
WAYPOINT 05 · YOUR NEXT STEP
What to do with your result
This panel updates automatically once you complete the check above.
Objective Biomechanics Assessment
A 3D Gait Analysis using the Oxford Foot Model, captured with motion-capture (MoCap) technology. Small reflective markers track exactly how the ankle and foot segments move while walking — giving your specialist precise, numbers-based data that goes well beyond a visual check.
Gait & Motion Analysis Lab — Sector 27, Gurugram
Pedobarography
A pressure-sensitive platform that measures exactly how weight is distributed across the sole while standing and walking. It produces a plantar pressure map, used alongside the gait analysis to quantify arch loading and overall foot mechanics.
CPOD Clinic — Gurugram