What is a Flat Foot?
A flat foot is known medically as pes planus. This occurs when the rounded arch on the inner side of the sole of the foot disappears upon standing or stepping on the ground. It's the most common reason many doctors prescribe arch supports. There are two recognized types of flat foot.
- In the first, flexible flat foot, the arch disappears when standing, but an arch can be seen when the pressure is released or the foot is at rest.
- In the second, rigid flat foot, no rounded arch can be seen even when the foot is at rest.
Individuals with flat feet most often have a problem with overpronation. During overpronation the arch is usually flat and the ankle turns inward. This places a lot of pressure on the muscles and ligaments of the foot and can eventually lead to pain in your arch, elsewhere in your foot, knees, hips, or lower back as it affects the mechanics of your walking cycle.
Flexible Flat Foot
Many people with flexible flat foot never develop any symptoms. The condition is often due to a general looseness of ligaments and can be relative throughout the body. It can also be caused due to a joint disease such as rheumatoid arthritis as people get older. There are, however, a lot of people who do develop symptoms. It is usually effectively corrected with an arch support/foot orthotic device.
Rigid Flat Foot
Rigid flat foot is often a result of a physical problem involving the structure of the foot bones. Some causes for rigid flat foot can be:
- Congenital vertical talus: a condition wheere one is born with a bone deformity that causes a reverse curve in place of the normal arch
- Tarsal coalition: a condition that is generally inherited where two or more foot bones are fused together
- Lateral subtalar dislocation: a condition that occurs in someone who had a normal arch, but experiences a traumatic event to cause a dislocation of a major joint in the foot called the subtalar joint, which collapses the arch.
Flat Foot: Signs and Symptoms
Approximately 25% of Americans have flat feet. In some cases, a flat foot can cause a lot of pain and this root problem can often cause aching feet, knee pain, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, knee trouble, hip and back pain, and in some cases even higher up the chain than that. Some people will have no problems due to their flat foot, however, with others the pain can be debilitating.
How To Tell If You Have A Flat Foot
If you are experiencing foot pain, you may want to see if you can determine your arch type. There are a couple ways to do this.
1. Flat Foot: Footprint Test
After you get out of the shower or swimming pool, take a look at your wet footprint paying special attention to the part between your heel and the ball of the foot. If the strip is the same width all the way through the arch of your foot, you most likely have a flat foot or fallen arch. If the strip is approximately half the width of your forefoot you probably have a normal arch. If the strip is very thin and only a thin strip of the little toe side of the foot can be seen (or none at all) you most likely have a high arch. This can work in the sand at the beach as well.
2. Flat Foot: Shoe Evaluation
Shoe selection is extremely important for people who experience foot pain. Your footwear choice can be a cause of your pain. You can also look to your shoe for answers. Place your shoe on a flat table and stand behind it looking at eye level. A flat foot will often cause more wear on the inside part of the sole in the heel area and cause the upper part of the shoe to lean inward over the sole. If this is happening you likely have a flat foot. Check both shoes to see the wear pattern.
3. See a Pedorthist or Other Foot Specialist
To get a true assessment, you should see a pedorthist, podiatrist, physician, or other qualified specialist. The specialist can advise you about treatment. If you are certain that you have a flat foot or flat feet, a good over the counter arch support designed for flat feet is the best form of treatment.
Flat Foot: Treatment
Home remedies are temporary and should be used only after talking with your physician. Applying ice to the sore area of your foot and/or taking anti-inflammatory drugs may provide temporary relief. However, when you have a flat foot, your mechanics in walking and foot alignment are usually poor. Due to this, arch supports (orthotic insoles) are often prescribed to work towards correcting or accomodating these mechanical deficiencies. These orthotic insoles will have arch support to help you distribute your weight more evenly throughout your flat foot, or may accommodate the position for a rigid flat foot.
In rare cases surgery may be suggested if no other more conservative approaches have been successful, but usually not before a trial of foot orthotics / arch supports and supportive footwear.
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