Flat feet are commonly referred to as drooping arches. Plantar fasciitis is a relatively common disease that can affect up to 30% of the population and cause symptoms in 1 in 10 of these people. Both feet are usually affected, but only one foot may be affected.
Flat feet are caused by a variety of conditions, including injuries, obesity and osteoarthritis. Aging, genetics and pregnancy can also play a role. Also, if you have a neurological or muscular disease such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or spina bifida, you probably have flat feet.
Proper care of flat feet is very important because this disease can lead to pain, stress and imbalance in other parts of the body. Flat feet treatment can help improve your balance. This may help correct other problems in your body that are caused by flat feet.
See an orthopedic surgeon, pediatrician, or health care provider if you have leg pain or difficulty walking or running. Diagnosing the problem requires several tests. When standing on your toes, your doctor will look for arches in your feet. If there is an arch, the sole of the foot may not be flat, which can cause pain in your foot. Your doctor will also look for flexion in your ankle. If you have difficulty flexing your foot or the arch of your foot does not appear, your healthcare provider may order more tests, such as x-rays or scans, to check for bones and tendons in your feet.
At Omid Health Clinic, our specialists, after diagnosing the causes of flat feet, recommend appropriate treatment methods to their clients.
Types of flat feet
The types of flat feet are as follows:
Flexible foot sole
Flexible plantar fasciitis is the most common type of this disease. The arch in your feet only appears when you lift your feet off the ground and the sole of the foot completely touches the ground when you place your foot on the ground. This type of flat foot starts in childhood and usually does not cause pain.
Achilles tendon tight
The Achilles tendon connects your heel bone to your calf muscle. If this tendon is too tight, it may cause pain in your legs when walking and running. This condition causes the heel to lift off the ground when walking or running.
Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction
This type of flat foot develops in adulthood, when the tendon that connects your calf muscle to the inside of your ankle is damaged, swollen, or torn. If the arch of your foot does not receive the support it needs, you will have pain in the inside of the foot and ankle as well as the outside of the ankle. Depending on the cause of the problem, you may experience this disorder in one or both feet.
Common causes of flat feet are:
Genetic factors can cause the sole of the foot to be passed from parent to child
Weak arch of the foot, which means that the arch of the foot is visible when sitting, but flattened when standing on the floor.
Foot or ankle injury
Arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis
Injury, dysfunction or rupture of the posterior tibial tendon
Nervous system or muscular diseases such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or spina bifida
Another reason that may cause flat feet is the Tarsal coalition. This causes the bones of the foot to contract abnormally, resulting in stiff legs.
Pediatricians usually diagnose the disease in childhood.
People with obesity or diabetes are more likely to have flat feet. This problem is also common during pregnancy.
Plantar fasciitis can also increase with age. Daily use of the foot can weaken the posterior tibial tendon. This tendon is the primary supporting structure of the arch of the foot.
The tendon can become inflamed and cause a problem called tendonitis or tearing after overuse. Damage to the tendon may flatten the arch of the foot.
Flat feet can also be caused by a developmental defect that occurs in childhood or can develop with age or after pregnancy.
Who is at risk?
If this disease is in your family, you are more likely to get it. If you are an athlete and very physically active, you are more likely to have flat feet because of the risk of foot and ankle injuries. Older people who are prone to falls or physical injuries are also at greater risk. People with diseases that affect the muscles, such as cerebral palsy, are also at greater risk.
Treatment of flat feet
Some people with flat feet may automatically align their limbs to prevent symptoms. People who do not experience these symptoms usually do not need treatment.
Orthopedic device for flat feet
If flat feet cause pain, the right shoes and size can help improve it. Slightly flat shoes can be effective in relieving your foot pain.
Orthopedic insoles or arch protectors designed specifically for the patient may relieve pressure on the arch and reduce pain if the foot rotates too far inward. However, these products only treat the symptoms and do not cure the disease for a long time.
People with posterior tendonitis may also be able to help relieve their symptoms by placing a wedge in their shoe along the inside edge of the orthosis. These aspects should reduce the amount of load that the body places on the tendon tissue.
Wearing an ankle brace may also be helpful as long as the inflammation is reduced.
medicine
Depending on the cause of the disease, you may have persistent pain and inflammation. Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to reduce the discomfort caused by these symptoms. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can relieve swelling and pain.
You can do exercises to help correct the crooked sole of the foot
This article introduces you to exercises that you can use to correct a crooked foot and reduce pain. The duration of these exercises is at least three times a week. Ideally, you can incorporate them into your daily routine and do them throughout the day.
Focus on increasing, strengthening, and lengthening the arch of your foot while doing these exercises.
Heel stretch
Stand with your hands on the wall, chair, or railing in front of your shoulders or eyes.
Hold one foot forward and pull the other leg behind you.
Press both heels firmly to the floor.
Keep your spine straight, bend your front leg and push yourself against a wall or support, and feel the stretch in your hind leg and Achilles tendon.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Do the movement 4 times on each side.
Rotate the tennis / golf ball
Sit in a chair and place a tennis or golf ball under your feet.
Keep your spine straight and focus on the arch of your foot.
Do this for 2-3 minutes.
Do the movement with the opposite foot as well.
Sole arch lift
Stand on your feet directly below your hips.
Be sure to place your toes on the outer edge of your feet and raise your arch as far as you can, making sure that your toes are in contact with the floor throughout the workout.
Then release your legs. In this exercise, you will activate the muscles that help lift and empty the arch of your foot.
Do this movement in 2 to 3 sets with 10-15 repetitions.
Lifting the leg
Stand up and lift your heels as high as you can.
You can use a chair or wall to help your balance.
Stay in this position for 5 seconds and then lower the heel.
Do this movement in 2 to 3 sets with 15-20 repetitions.
Then hold up and go up and down alternately for 30 seconds.
Lift the leg on the stairs
Place your left foot on the top step and your right foot on the lower step.
Use your left foot to balance while lowering your right foot so that your heel hangs down the stairs.
Slowly raise your right heel as much as possible. Focus on strengthening the arch of your foot.
Rotate the arch of your foot inward as your knees and calves rotate slightly to the side, causing your arch to become longer.
Slow down and return to the original position.
Do the movement for each leg in 2-3 sets with 10-15 repetitions.
curls with the help of a towel
Sit in a chair and place a towel under your feet.
Move your heels on the floor so that you can hold the towel with your toes.
Press the toes towards your feet.
Hold and release for a few seconds.
Be sure to press the front of your foot against the floor or towel. Focus on the arch of your foot.
Do this movement 2-3 sets with 10-15 repetitions.
Lifting the toe
For variety, you can do this exercise in yoga standing positions such as tree, standing, bending or standing.
While standing, press your thumb and right finger on the floor and lift the other four fingers.
Then press your four fingers to the floor and lift your thumb.
Do each of these movements 5-10 times and hold each position for 5 seconds.
Then do this exercise with your left foot.
Keep in mind that it may take a few weeks after starting these exercises to see your progress. Be consistent with your progress and continue your training even after progress.
Creating a deeper awareness of your body can help you determine how best to adjust your posture and movement during daily activities to correct your body imbalance. Make a conscious effort to pay attention to how you stand, move, and position your body, and make very small adjustments as needed.
Consult your doctor if you feel pain while standing or walking. You may also need to use orthotics or physiotherapy.
Other treatments
If the flatness of the sole of the foot is the result of excessive injury or poor technique and shape of the foot, physiotherapy can be used to correct it.
Surgery is usually not necessary to flatten the sole of the foot unless it causes a bone deformity or tendon rupture. In cases where you have chronic pain due to flat feet and have not improved after other procedures, surgery is sometimes recommended.