Feet are the foundation of the entire upper and lower body. Poor foot alignment and strength can affect how you hold your body and even lead to injuries. One of the most common causes of foot pain and misalignment is Flat Feet, also known as Pes Planus or Fallen Arches.
The foot comprises of 26 bones and almost 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. The mid part of the foot contains the arch that has a major function in supporting the entire foot.
Causes
Fallen arches are one of the most common cause of foot and ankle pain. It quite often starts in childhood if your feet do not develop properly during foetal state. Younger children are often seen to have flat feet but usually outgrow it. Few people are genetically predisposed to flat feet condition.
Some develop flat feet over time. Not everyone with flat feet may necessarily experience pain Few most common causes of adult-onset flat feet include:-
Obesity, since the bones in your feet tend to experience greater difficulty bearing the excess weight.
Incorrect/Improper footwear
Age: Flat feet are quite common among people over the age of 40
High blood pressure, which could reduce the blood flow to your feet thus, one might suffer from pes planus.
Past history of injuries to the feet, such as stress fractures.
Diabetes Mellitus
Arthritis
Damage to any of the bones/ tendons in your feet
Complications of Flat Feet
Most people with flat feet observe that it affects many aspects of their overall health. Since, fallen arches or flat feet fail to give your feet the support they require, you are more likely to experience foot pain.
Another condition called Plantar Fasciitis is usually common in people with Flat Feet. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the tendons in the ventral part of the feet are overstretched or stretched beyond their limit. This condition causes you to suffer from severe pain in the feet, more often in the morning right after waking up.
Flat feet also tend to cause yet another condition called Over-Pronation, which is the inward rolling of your ankles when you are walking. This would ultimately lead to foot and ankle pain.
Because your feet are the foundation of support for your entire body, having flat feet and overpronation can cause problems with your spinal alignment as well. You may start to notice that you also have pain in your hips, knees, and lower back.
Treatments
Flat feet is not a condition that usually goes away completely. Whether you were born with flat feet or your arches fall with age, it’s not a reversible condition. However, there are ways you can find to manage the pain and get rid of it.
The best treatments for flat feet is to provide the support that is lost because of fallen arches and to strengthen the feet and ankles. Some of the treatments we recommend include the following:
Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Physical/Occupational therapy to strengthen your feet and ankles.
Appropriate exercise and nutrition. Weight loss, if obese.
Wearing a brace or splint.
Use of orthotics in your shoes. Wearing the right type of shoes or insole is essential for people with flat feet. Orthotic insoles can correct your foot position and in turn, can even correct your posture.
The pressure scan of a flat feet. The left foot has severely fallen arches.
The toes are almost not taking any pressure, and the pressure distribution is poor.
The scan of the same feet after wearing insoles for 45 days.
The scan is a lot better than the initial scan. The toes are visible in the scan now.
The overpronation has decreased. 80% reduction in heel pain is also observed.
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