What are Flat Feet?

8 July 2015 | John

Flat feet (also known as fallen arches) are when the arches of the foot are not pronounced and touch the ground when you stand up. This can be a natural result of genetics or due to an injury to the arch of the feet — this condition is common and most people with flat feet have no problem. In certain cases, flat feet can cause extra strain on the tissue of the foot and surrounding areas and as a result, you can develop a number of other problems such as ankle strain, back pain and knee pain.

What are the Symptoms of Flat Feet?

The main symptom of flat feet is that your arches touch the ground. If you are unsure if you have flat feet, there is a simple test you can do for: simply wet the bottom of your feet and stand naturally on a dry surface such as a pavement or newspaper. If the whole of your sole is visible on the footprint, including where the arch should be, then you may have flat feet.

Flat feet is a multifaceted condition that has a number of effects on different people. Some people with flat feet find that their arches ache while others experience aching in their heel or on the outer side of their feet.

What are the Causes of Flat Feet?

There are two main causes of flat feet. The first cause is a lack of development of the arches during childhood. Typically, as a child grows up the joints in their arches tighten up; this is why a baby’s footprint is often the whole foot, while an adult’s footprint typically does not show the arch. Chilen will naturally have flat feet and do not need corrective treatment.

The other main cause is natural wear and tear to the tendon and joints in your foot; this causes the arches to collapse as the tendons lose their ability to provide necessary support. This usually happens in older people and can also be caused by arthritis. There are several conditions that increase the risk of flat feet. These include obesity, an injury to your foot or heel, diabetes, arthritis and cerebral palsy.

How Can Shoe Insoles Help with Flat Feet?

If your flat feet are painful or cause you discomfort, the right shoe insole can help greatly with this. A shoe insole can provide arch support to your foot, which takes strain and pressure off your arches and reduces the pain flat feet can cause.

If your flat feet have led to other conditions in your feet, then a shoe insole designed to combat that particular condition will offer the support your feet need. In addition, wearing shoe insoles for a specific activity or sport will give your feet the extra support they need so that you can carry out that activity without worrying about your flat feet.

If you have flat feet and find that they are causing you pain or discomfort, visit the Shoe Insoles website and view our full range of Shoe Insoles for Flat Feet.