
Stretching and strengthening exercises can help the foot maintain balance, stabilize joints and tissues, and prevent pain. Bracing can control and stabilize the ankle joint if flatfoot has severely progressed to affecting this joint. Custom-molded orthotics or inserts can support the arch and prevent the foot instep from dropping, preventing pain and swelling. These treatments can be used for adults too.Ī variety of nonsurgical conservative treatments are available to relieve and prevent flatfoot pain: Their feet are flexible and can be treated with inserts for their shoes called custom-molded orthotics, along with other nonsurgical interventions. Most children with flatfoot inherited their foot type from a family member. They often occur in athletes who have flatfoot, especially runners. Shin splints feel like a painful ache in the front of the lower leg. When your arch falls, stress to your legs increases, affecting your shins. Your Achilles tendon will compensate for this extra motion by working harder and sometimes becomes excessively tightened, a condition known as Achilles tendonitis. When you have a flattened foot, there is more motion in the area of the middle of your foot, also known as your midfoot. When you have flatfoot, the plantar fascia can stretch and cause pain to your heel. Those with plantar fasciitis often complain of heel pain. Inflammation of this band of tissue is known as plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that runs on the bottom of your foot from your heel to your toes.
If your arch flattens, the movement in your ankles changes, which in turn can change the movement of your knees, causing pain in these joints. When the foundation changes, anything above the foundation can be altered. The foot acts as the foundation of your body. Ambulatory distortionįlatfoot can also cause distortion to the movement of your feet and ankles.
Some common problems associated with a flat foot are: 1. Flatfoot can cause injuries to your feet and legs due to the pressure on your ankles and knees.