Flat Feet

What are Flat feet?
Flat feet is also known as fallen arches and pes planus. The arch of the foot is the main supportive structure of the foot and also the body. If the arch loses its strength, the bony framework begins to collapse causing your foot to weaken, sag and flatten. Flat feet can begin to cause pain elsewhere in the body. Overuse or repeated pounding on hard surfaces without proper support can also weaken the arch over time. Flat feet are can also develop due to injuries, putting an inordinate amount of stress to the foot, poor foot biomechanics and arthritis.

Flat feet may be caused by pronation. Pronation is a biomechanical term used to describe excessive inward rolling off the feet that causes a person’s foot to become flat. Everyone normally pronates throughout the gait cycle, but when pathology develops when over pronation occurs. The flattening of the arch has a trickle up effect, where the lower legs, hip and back can become painful as well. As the foot flattens it creates a weakness in the joints of the foot and that usually translates into pain. One can visualize how severe the flattening of one’s sole is as the foot comes into complete contact with the ground when standing.

Some people are born with flat feet while others acquire flat feet due to arthritis, obesity, trauma or musculoskeletal disorders. When children are born their feet naturally appear flat. A child’s arch takes a few years to develop and becomes higher as the child progresses through adolescence. Not all children will develop an arch and that is difficult to predict at infancy. Children who develop flat feet are more prone to developing, knee, hip and back pain as well. Often these are mistakenly attributed to “growing pains”.

Flat feet can be subdivided further into flexible or rigid flat foot. In a flexible flatfoot the arch or curvature noted on the inside of the foot between the ball of the foot and heel appears high when sitting or off weight bearing. Upon weight bearing, the arch will flatten out and fall. In a rigid flatfoot, the curvature in your arch essentially remains flat regardless of weight bearing or non weight bearing.

Many patients seen at our office with flat feet may experience pain in their heels or ankle areas. Discomfort from flat feet often develops slowly over time. At some point, pain may be felt and walking may become uncomfortable as the strain is increased in the feet and calves. This common condition can be diagnosed and treated by your podiatrists. Shoe gear changes, orthotics and therapy as well as surgical alternatives are available.