We’re all born with flat feet, but within a few years, the tendons and ligaments strengthen to form arches that act as springs to give you mobility. However, over the years, these arches can weaken, and your feet can flatten.
Up to one-third of the population has some degree of pes planus, the medical term for flat feet and fallen arches.
If you have flat feet caused by fallen arches, and they’re causing problems — perhaps your feet hurt after being on them all day— our team at Neuhaus Foot and Ankle wants to help. To get started, we’ve pulled together four great tips for dealing with flat feet and fallen arches.
The best way to support your feet is to wear shoes that provide balance. High heels and shoes that crowd toes are the primary culprits for many foot disorders. If your arches are collapsing, we recommend wearing comfortable and cushioned shoes to provide arch support and allow your feet to spread out comfortably.
If we confirm you have flat feet caused by fallen arches, we’re going to recommend orthotics. This is an incredibly effective frontline treatment for flat feet for obvious reasons — they support the arches in your feet and prevent them from collapsing.
While you can purchase shoe inserts at a shoe store or pharmacy, we recommend opting for custom orthotics. With custom orthotics, we take molds of your feet and send the molds, plus instructions for the kind of support we want, to the manufacturer so you get inserts targeted to your unique needs.
Certain exercises establish muscular support for feet lacking structural stability. We recommend:
While most of these are self-explanatory, we want to explain arch lifts. With this exercise, we want you to place your feet flat on the floor and roll your weight to the outside of your foot to try and lift the arch on the inside of your foot.
A significant risk factor for adult-acquired flatfoot is obesity. If you’re carrying extra pounds, losing weight can help your feet in many ways, including preventing the progressive collapse of your arches.
If you’d like more tips for dealing with flat feet and fallen arches, or your flat feet are causing problems, contact one of our offices in Hermitage, Brentwood, Nashville, Mount Juliet, Waverly, Smyrna, Gallatin, Columbia, Pulaski, Hendersonville, or Lebanon, Tennessee, to schedule an appointment.
