Pediatricians and family practitioners often have to make judgments concerning actual or presumed problems of the feet and legs in infants and children. The frequency and natural history of these problems is such that referral to orthopedic consultants is not always appropriate. In most instances the problems presented require no treatment, others can be managed easily without consultations, and only a few require the services of an orthopedist.

The ped in pediatrics and orthopedics is derived from the Greek word paidios, meaning child, not from the Latin pedalis or French ped, meaning foot. Therefore pediatrics is the medicine (Greek iatrike) of the child, and orthopedics is the straightening or correction (Greek orthos) of deformities in children. Orthopedics has expanded its scope well beyond this initial thrust; nevertheless the orthopedist and the pediatrician are concerned with many problems involving the feet and legs of children.