Living with Flat Feet: Understanding Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Effective Treatment Strategies
- Updated - March 28, 2025
Flat feet are a common condition that affects many individuals, and people can develop flat feet at any stage of life. With flat feet, the arch in your foot collapses and flattens out. This can lead to numerous symptoms, such as pain in the heel, ankle, or knee joints and difficulty walking. Some people may not know they have flat feet because it can be gradual in onset!
Understanding the Basics of Flat Feet
Understanding how our feet interact with the ground is essential to improve flat feet. Understanding the foot arch and its role in providing support is crucial for addressing flat feet. In addition, a deeper understanding of foot anatomy and position can be essential in developing support from below and, consequently, support for all the body regions above it.
Whether standing, walking, or running, we usually enclose our feet in shoes that offer varying degrees of support and protection. However, this same process also impacts our natural ability to care for and repair our feet. Footwear choices can create the added issue of removing any inherent capacity for support your feet may provide.
Flexible vs. Rigid Flat Feet: What's the Difference?
Understanding the different types of flat feet is important to address the condition effectively.
Flexible Flat Feet: In this type, the arch appears when the foot is not bearing weight but flattens when standing. This type is often less severe and can be managed with proper footwear and exercises.
Rigid Flat Feet: Here, the arch is absent even when the foot is not bearing weight. This type may require more intensive treatment, including orthotics or surgery.
Remember to consider the impact of small, consistent actions in improving your foot health. Understanding the type of flat feet you have is the first step towards effective management.
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What Are Fallen Arches
Flat feet are a condition in which the arch of your foot collapses and flattens out. This can lead to pain in the heel, ankle or knee joints, chronic fatigue, and difficulty walking. As mentioned earlier, some people may not know they have flat feet because it can be gradual!
Flat feet occur when your foot’s inside (longitudinal) arch is lower than expected – to the point where it touches the ground. Rigid flat feet, on the other hand, do not show an arch even when the foot is not bearing weight.
Quite often, a lack of support within the musculature of the lower leg and foot influences the degree of change in the foot.
While fallen arches themselves do not cause pain, they can progress to be a site of discomfort. Also, the lack of support from the ground up can harm overall posture health.
Often associated with conditions influenced by flat feet is PLANTAR FASCIITIS, which is an inflammation of the plantar fascia.
What are characteristics of Fallen arches?
- Subtalar eversion.
- Forefoot abduction and dorsiflexion.
- Flattening of the three arches.
- Shortness of Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles.
- It stresses the medial knee joint with potential pubic dysfunction.
- Abnormal gait may lead to Sacroiliac Joint (SIJ) and Lumbosacral strain.
- Unilateral changes may lead to functional Leg Length Discrepancy (LLD).
- Lower leg pain, particularly after prolonged standing or walking.
How are flat feet diagnosed?
A Podiatrist or other qualified healthcare provider will likely perform several tests before diagnosing you with flat feet, as flat feet may cause various symptoms that need to be evaluated. The Podiatrist will carefully examine your posture, as fallen arches often lead to specific body curvatures.
In addition, the Podiatrist will test the strength and contraction of your ankles and plantar muscles.
As mentioned, you may be diagnosed through:
- Medical Professional Diagnosis
- Examining Your Posture
- Physical Testing for Foot Strength and Plantar Muscles
- Footprint Analysis to Check for Fallen Arches
What Treatments Are Available For Those Suffering From Flat Feet And Foot Pain?
Several different treatments are available for people who suffer from fallen arches. Depending on the severity of your condition, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments:
- Foot Orthotic Therapy: Custom-designed foot orthotics can help relieve pressure on the arch and reduce pain, especially for flat feet rolling too far inward. However, to avoid worsening symptoms, they should be used under the supervision of a doctor.
- Orthopedic Shoes
- Exercise and Physical Therapy
- In extreme cases, surgery to Correct the Feet’s Positioning
What are some causes of fallen arches?
Several factors can contribute to developing flat feet, including inherited traits and poor footwear during early development.
These include:
- Inherited traits
- Poor or inadequate footwear during the early stages of development
- Chronic injuries or fractures in your foot, ankle and legs
- Over-pronation (rolling inward) while walking or standing for long periods
- Sudden weight gain, which puts pressure on the arch and causes it to collapse and flatten out
- Surgery that removes part or all of the arch (such as a Heberden’s node release)
- Age, as fallen arches are more common in adults.
FAQ's
Do fallen arches affect balance?
Yes, fallen arches can affect balance. People with fallen arches may have a difficult time standing or walking. In addition, they may have trouble balancing on one leg.
Falling is also a concern, as those with fallen arches may have difficulties righting themselves when attempting to move quickly from one leg to the other.
How do you fix a dropped arch in your foot?
The “fix” for a fallen arch is often not so black and white. Several exercises and external devices can assist you in better managing your condition. In addition to orthotics, pain relievers can help manage discomfort associated with fallen arches. The most common are orthotics, which are rigid arch supports that push up on fallen arches.
As long as you wear appropriate footwear and keep it well maintained, fallen arches should not pose any immediate health risk. However, it’s best to get them checked out before they get too painful so you know how severe they are and what treatment is best for you.
How do I know if I have fallen arches?
Some symptoms of fallen arches are:
- Heel pain
- A feeling of tiredness in your feet after standing or walking for a long time
- Ankle Pain on the inside of your ankle
- Flat feet – they look flat!
A flexible flat foot is a condition where the arch appears when the foot is not bearing weight but flattens when standing.
Does faulty posture cause flat foot?
This question has no definitive answer, as several overlapping elements can influence the relationship between faulty posture and fallen arches. However, poor posture can stress the feet and lead to fallen arches over time.
This reinforces the need to consider the ‘whole’ body whenever issues in one area can impact other distant body parts.
How do flat feet affect leg length discrepancy?
Some evidence suggests that people with flat feet are more likely to experience a leg length discrepancy.
Leg length discrepancy occurs when one leg is shorter or longer than the other. This is because the fallen arch can cause the ankle and foot to turn inwards (pronate), affecting the leg bones’ position. As a result, one leg may be longer than the other. This can cause problems with posture and balance and lead to pain in the hips, knees, and back.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, getting your fallen arches checked out by a medical professional is important.
EXERCISES TO ASSIST FALLEN ARCHES OF THE FEET?
While many elements are involved in addressing issues within the feet, we have provided three simple techniques you can do regularly to assist your progress.
What will you need?
- Small mobility ball – this can be anything from a lacrosse ball, tennis ball, and/or golf ball.
- Pencil, pen, tea towel, small towel.
ROLL YOUR ARCHES
Massage your cares away.
This is a mobility ‘go-to’ for those wishing to improve their foot and ankle. However, this release requires you to take your time and be diligent.
- Medial Longitudinal arch
- Begin at the ball of the big toe and work towards the heel.
- SLOWLY, move backwards and forwards between the two points.
- Only apply PARTIAL weight; the more weight you apply, the more uncomfortable it becomes.
- Gradually build up to increasing the amount of your body weight you allow to sink onto the ball.
- Lateral longitudinal arch
- Begin at the balls of the last two toes and work towards the heel.
- As with the Medial Arch, SLOWLY work backwards and forwards between the two points.
- Again, as with the Medial Arch, only apply partial weight; the more weight you use, the more uncomfortable it becomes.
- Transverse arch – go across the foot inside to outside (and vice versa).
- This can be done at several points across the foot.
- We want to roll the ball Left to Right and Right to Left from the Medial (inside) arch to the Lateral (outside) arch.
- Again, take your time determining how much weight you place on the ball.
Note: DO NOT MAKE PAIN YOUR GAUGE OF SUCCESS. As you get closer to the heel, some points may prove to be painful. Be mindful of only going at the pace and depth of pressure you feel comfortable with.
FINGERS BETWEEN YOUR TOES
Oiling The Joints
This can be a little tricky to grasp at the beginning, especially if your fingers are large and/or the space between your toes is minimal. So take your time and make sure to ease your fingers into place.
Directions:
- Slowly work the fingers of the opposite hand between each of the toes.
- Take your time, as it can be slightly uncomfortable at first.
- Once you’ve slipped into position, begin to move to encourage the hand to move in a slight clockwise—counterclockwise pattern.
- Keep the foot held in place by the other hand.
- Discomfort while moving the toes should not last long.
- If discomfort persists or increases, discontinue the exercise.
CURLING TOES / PICK UP PENCIL
Biceps Curl For The Arch Of The Foot.
Towel Drag
- This exercise will allow you to strengthen and retrain the muscles that assist in creating the ‘arches’ of the foot.
- Do one foot at a time.
- Hold on for support if you feel unstable during movement.
- With a towel on the ground, drag the towel/tea towel towards you.
- Keep the heel on the ground at all times.
- Reposition the towel as it begins to bunch up and ‘crowd’ the bottom of your foot.
Pencil Pick-Up
- Ether a pencil or pen works well for this
- Place a pencil on the floor in front of your foot
- With the toes, pick up the pencil off the ground
- And gently place it down again.
- Do this 5 to 10 times on each foot.
- If you lose balance standing on one leg, use the wall as support.
In Closing
Flat feet can lead to discomfort and affect your overall posture and mobility. By understanding the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options, you can take proactive steps to manage this condition effectively.
Remember, small changes like proper footwear, regular exercises, and professional consultations can make a significant difference.
If you suspect you have flat feet or are experiencing related symptoms, consult a healthcare professional for a tailored treatment plan. Stay proactive in caring for your feet, and you’ll improve your overall quality of life.
PLEASE NOTE
PostureGeek.com does not provide medical advice. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical attention. The information provided should not replace the advice and expertise of an accredited health care provider. Any inquiry into your care and any potential impact on your health and wellbeing should be directed to your health care provider. All information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care or treatment.