To Sam,

Well naturally, when these things happen, common sense seems to tell you these things.  My son was very over suppressed at a time when he was just learning to walk and toddling.  None of us in the family have flat feet or foot problems of this nature.  That is why when I learned of bone loss with over suppression, and saw this problem, I immediately thought about these things.  My doctor just fobbed it off as something unrelated.  However, when I saw the Podiatrist, and I asked him about this he seemed to be saying it was a possibility.  However, they don't study the effects of steroids on bones in the foot!  As there are so many bones in the foot ( I think the area that Sue refers to is  just probably ankle---lol--(or achiles tendon) and I always think of William the Conquerer when I imagine this part of the foot---dunno why).

Anyway back on the subject---the Podiatrist said that the arch of the foot is important and when we have flat feet it affects the posture as far up as the spine sometimes.  When you think about the inner support that your feet naturally have in that area, when the feet turn down and are completely flat, the knees actually turn in also and knock.  It depends how bad it is really, but my sons were quite bad and it affects his whole gait and the way that he runs and everything if he is not wearing any arch support in his footwear.  I find the sport shoes for children (at the top end of the range) tend to provide this such as Nike's.   Also, some have a cushioned sole as well, which helps as he has often complained of pain and aching in his feet---especially after a long bush walk or nature trail and after cross country running.  They have competitions today and he told me he did not want to run today.  Besides the fact that he get's exhausted quite easily half way round, especially when they are competing as kids tend to push themselves more at those times. 

When you think then about the knees turning in and plot what happens naturally, at the hip joint it affects the joints there too. It jsut affects the whole way that someone carries themselves.  I use to know a girl that was pigeon toed (she walked with her toes turned towards eachother) and I can picture her to this day.  She walked and it affected her whole posture and she stooped forward.  My daughter (13 yrs) walks on the outside of her foot---(a little too much at times!---all her shoes--which are these fashionable platforms!---are all worn on the outer part far more than anywhere else).  I used to look at all my sons old shoes at the bottom and they are extremely worn down on the inner part---so I had to do something about that and get some support.  Simply because after a while as the shoes wear in that spot it actually exaggerates the problem even more!  He does much better for the support all round basically so I would recommend it to anyone having the same problem.  It helps the way the muscles develop for one in the back s and the calfs.  My sons valfs used to look a real odd shape due to the development of his muscle because of the way that he walked.  It is wierd how one little thing can affect everything else.

JH