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267 cases were discharged from the Orthopaedic Clinic, 102 as cured
44 due to absence and were kept under observation at school, 62 were
showing improvement and were kept under observation at school, 59 cases
left school or left the district.
Minor Orthopaedic Defects.
Dr. F. E. O'Connor Wilson, one of the school medical oHicers, has
under supervision and attends weekly one of the following Clinics conducted
by the Physiotherapist:—
Exercises
Massage
Sunlight
and she reports as follows:—
Foot Survey, 1955.
"During 1955 a foot survey was carried out by me in Ilford
schools. 1,400 children between the ages of 9 and 10 years were
examined; this age group was chosen as a fair average between the
infant and senior groups.
Very few children had badly worn or unsatisfactory footwear
(0 2%) and few had dirty feet and dirty socks (1-9%). The children
were examined in their ordinary outdoor footwear first, then in their
bare feet. Not one child complained of pain in the feet or legs. The
thirteen schools visited in the course of the examination covered a
wide area of the district so that children from all social levels were
surveyed.
Of the total of 1,400 children, 468 or about 33% were found to
have foot defects. This is a high percentage and might well be
remedied by the development of toddlers' clinics.
A greater number of girls had defects such as deflection of
terminal phalanx of great toe—about 14% of all defects; whereas
boys were only about 9% of this condition. Hallux valgus was more
noticeable among girls—34% of all defects compared with about 12%
of boys. More girls were suffering from curled toes, probably due
to tight shoes worn previously. The incidence of flat feet was equal
in both sexes though the number of boys with valgus ankles was
double that found in the girls.
There were very few defects of the soft tissues considering the
large number of children surveyed.
Before closing I would like to draw attention to the fact that
plimsoles in school which are a free issue and are chosen by the
children themselves may be badly fitting and crush the feet. Children
usually choose shoes too small rather than too large. An adult to
supervise these shoes and to check sizes periodically—at least once
a term—might help to prevent foot troubles or aggravation of existing
ones. The same applies to boys' football boots which are put
aside when the season is over and worn again the next year and the
next—so long as the foot can be squeezed into the boots. Occasionally
the boots are passed on to someone else and used though not fitting
well. This is the case where the parents cannot afford to buy the boy
new boots and his enthusiasm for the game counteracts any pain
from tight boots.
Regarding the remedial exercises carried out by the Physiotherapist,
where the parents and children co-operate there is rapid and
permanent cure of the defect. This is specially so in the treatment of
flat feet and valgus ankles.
The Artificial Sunlight Clinic has a number of children receiving
treatment for various ailments and all the children were markedly
improved. Cases of underweight and the few cases of malnutrition,
and those suffering from chronic catarrhal colds benefited most."