Flat feet can affect the body’s alignment when a person is standing, walking, or running. As a result, having flat feet can increase the likelihood of developing pain in the hips, knees, and ankles. Share on Pinterest Flat foot, also called pes planus, is a deformity of the foot where the arch has not developed fully.
In this post
What happens if flat feet is not treated?
Ashley Ledger states, “Flatfoot disorder may gradually worsen to the point that many of the tendons and ligaments in the foot and ankle are simply overworking.” Early treatment is important in flatfeet since ignoring the condition can lead to even more serious conditions including arthritis and loss of function.
How flat feet affect the body?
Because flat feet cause your weight to be distributed abnormally, other joints and muscles take responsibility for keeping you upright. As a result, you may experience back and leg pain that can interfere with daily tasks, exercise, and activities you enjoy.
Can flat feet cause other problems?
Toe problems
If you have flat feet, your shoes rub you in all the wrong places and lead to calluses and corns. Over time, you may also develop a bunion, a deformity of the joint at the base of your big toe, or a hammertoe, an abnormal contraction of your toe joint.
Do flat feet get worse with age?
In adults the condition is called “acquired” flatfoot because it affects feet that at one point in time had a normal longitudinal arch. The deformity may worsen over time as one ages.
What are the long term effects of flat feet?
As the foot collapses toward the ground, the lower legs tend to rotate inward. This inward rotation can affect the entire leg, including the hips, leading to long-term leg and back pain. Flat feet are a common cause of general musculoskeletal pain and problems.
Does flat feet cause weight gain?
There should be a gap of space at the bottom of your feet where your arch holds or supports your weight. If all or almost the entire bottom of your foot makes contact with the ground when you’re standing, you have flat feet. This throws off the normal ability of your feet to buffer your weight and provide stability.
How long does it take to fix flat feet?
Structural correction of flat feet can take between 3-18 months. Not all flat feet cases can be corrected, however many can be.
Does flat feet affect walking?
If arches don’t develop — or they collapse later in life (fallen arches) — flat feet can cause pain and affect walking.
What is the main cause of flat feet?
Flat feet are caused by a variety of conditions including injuries, obesity, and arthritis. Aging, genetics, and pregnancy can also contribute to flat feet. You’re also more likely to have flat feet if you have a neurological or muscular disease such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or spina bifida.
When is flat foot surgery necessary?
If you are suffering from flat feet, a condition when little or no space exists beneath the arch of the foot when you are in a standing position, you may require flat foot surgery. Symptoms include: Experiencing pain when running or walking, particularly on the inner ankle and foot. Ankle swelling.
Why are flat feet born?
Babies are often born with flat feet, which may persist well into their childhood. This occurs because children’s bones and joints are flexible, causing their feet to flatten when they stand. Young babies also have a fat pad on the inner border of their feet that hides the arch.
How do adults fix flat feet?
For painful flatfeet, a health care provider might suggest:
- Arch supports (orthotic devices). Nonprescription arch supports can help relieve the pain caused by flatfeet.
- Stretching exercises. Some people with flatfeet also have a shortened Achilles tendon.
- Physical therapy.
Is flat feet genetic?
The causes of flat feet are varied. Some inherit the condition from their parents as an isolated trait, this is particularly true for children with hypermobility or “double jointed”. Others develop flat feet as part of another genetic condition. Still others develop the condition over time.
Can a podiatrist help with flat feet?
For certain cases of flat feet, surgery may be necessary, but in most cases, a podiatrist will be able to suggest proper footwear and exercises in order to treat this condition. Flatfoot is a condition many people suffer from.
Is flat footed a disability?
Pes planus is a disability characterized by the arches of your feet flattening. While the disability can be serious, inhibiting your range of motion and ability to walk, it is typically painless.
What are the advantages of being flat footed?
In a 1989 study of more than 300 Army infantry trainees at Fort Benning Ga., those with flat feet had far fewer training injuries than recruits with normal or high insteps. In fact, trainees with high arches suffered twice as many injuries, including sprains and stress fractures, as their flat-footed comrades.
What exercises can I do to fix my flat feet?
While standing, press your right big toe into the floor and lift up your other four toes. Then press your four toes into the floor and lift up your big toe. Do each way 5–10 times, holding each lift for 5 seconds. Then do the exercise on your left foot.
Why flat foot is not allowed in army?
Army personnel have to go through a rigorous physical regimen. A person with flat feet will not be able to cope with such activities. If foot arch is not fully developed it will not act as a shock absorber, instead shock will be absorb by the spine. This can cause problems in the back.
Are you born with flat feet?
Typically, babies are born with flat feet. This condition, called “flexible flatfoot” begins to disappear when the child starts to stand and becomes mobile. In most cases, children outgrow this disorder without need for treatment, usually by the age six, as they start to naturally develop an arch.
Can you build arches in flat feet?
One of the foot problems people develop is “fallen arches” or “flat feet,” a decrease in the longitudinal arch that absorbs landing forces. You can rebuild the arches through the use of the following and other active isolated, constant-resistance exercises.