If you have flat feet (pes planus), your arches may have failed to form when you were a child. Or, you may have developed flat feet over the years due to:
You may also have flat feet if you were born with cerebral palsy. But, no matter the reason for your flat feet, you’re among the up to 37% of Americans who lack a full arch.
A healthy arch in your foot is created by a series of ligaments, tendons, and fascia that connect your forefoot with your hindfoot. When these tissues are strong and flexible, they hold your arch high so that your foot can absorb shocks and store mechanical energy.
Without an arch, your feet feel more stress. They’re also not as mechanically efficient. The effect on your feet can also travel up what’s known as the “kinetic chain” — the connections between the joints in your feet, legs, and hips.
At Texas Heart and Vein Multispecialty Group, our board-certified podiatrists diagnose and treat flat feet and other foot problems and deformities at our offices in the Houston, Texas, area.
Are flat feet at the root of your foot and leg pain? Here’s why they might be and how you can compensate for an absent or partial arch.
As you might expect, the first place to feel the effect of flat feet or fallen arches is in your feet. You may have trouble running or walking long distances due to the inability of your feet to absorb and distribute shocks and stress.
Many people with flat feet live without any kind of symptoms. However, as you age, you may start to feel the effects. Your flat feet may be causing you trouble if you experience:
Once you start experiencing foot pain, it’s time to address your fallen arches.
The shock and stress that aren’t absorbed well by your feet don’t just stay in your feet. They can travel up the kinetic chain to affect your other joints, including the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support them. Also, when your feet are misaligned, they can throw your other joints “out of joint.”
Eventually, you may start to experience symptoms and dysfunction in your legs and even your hips. Signs that your flat feet may now affect the health of your other joints include:
When your feet are flat, they also tend to overpronate. This means that your ankles roll toward the inside of your foot, which causes more problems with distributing stress.
Whether you were born with flat feet or acquired them, you don’t have to tolerate their effects. We may recommend a number of therapeutic approaches, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
With the help of a physical therapist (PT), you may be able to strengthen the tendons and ligaments in your feet so that you more efficiently absorb shocks and create a better aligned foot. In the meantime, you might benefit from icing your feet when they ache or taking over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
If PT exercises don’t completely alleviate your symptoms, you could benefit from custom-designed orthotics. These shoe inserts are created from molds of your feet, then adjusted to compensate for deficiencies, such as the lack of an arch and other misalignments.
Custom orthotics create a stable base for your entire leg. Once you adjust to the orthotics, you’ll notice a lessening of pain and improved function all along your leg’s kinetic chain.
Are you ready to support your arches? If you have flat feet, get relief by phoning us at the office nearest you or scheduling an appointment online.
We service Greater Heights, Pearland Market, League City, Lake Jackson, Manvel, Rosharen, Alvin, Fresno, Missouri City, Arcola, Friendswood, South Houston, Kingwood Market, Humble, New Chaney, Atasciacita, and Northeast Houston, Texas.
