Flatfoot syndrome is a common and normal variant in our population. A flat foot implies your foot does not have a normal arch when you are standing. With low or no arch, your feet may appear to be flat on the ground. This condition may result in pain if it progresses or with strenuous physical activity.
A well-structured human foot has 26 different bones being held together by 33 joints. Also, the skeleton of the foot is covered by over 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons.The arches give the step spring and assists in the distribution of the body weight across the feet and legs. How a person walks is partly determined by the design of the arches. The arches must be robust and flexible to accommodate a huge amount of stress and across a range of surfaces.
Medically, a flat foot is typically known as pes planus or fallen arches. It is normlal in infants and young children. This is as a result of the ligaments and tendons which are not tight or haven’t fully developed until the adolescent phase. It some children, this laxity or ‘looseness’ in ligaments can persist into adulthood, rendering flatfoot more common in this patient groups.
The feet are the foundation of the body. Therefore the feet must be healthy. If you have a flat foot, there is a tendency for you to have poor posture, poor ergonomics and poor balance.
For most patients with flatfoot syndrome, pain is the commonest complaint. The pain is usually felt over the inner arch of the foot, sometimes radiating up to the inner aspect of the ankle. Aside from pain, patient may have other symptoms ;
The most common causes of flat feet are as follows:
These factors are capable of increasing your risk of flatfeet
Flat feet is classified into three types. They are:
Flexible Flat Foot
This is the most common form of flat foot. The arches appear only appear when you raise them from the floor. When you place your feet on the ground, your sole fully touches the floor. This form of the flat foot starts from infancy. Often, it does not cause pain and may be a normal variant.
Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
This frequently occurs during adulthood. It is caused as a result of the damaged, swollen or torn tendon which connects the calf muscle to the ankle. You are likely to feel severe pains on the inside and outside of your foot if the arch does not get sufficient support it needs. This condition is likely to affect one or both feet, depending on the cause.
Rigid flatfeet
This is typically caused by a long history of flexible flatfeet where the deformity has progressed. The joints have been deformed for so long and eventually become arthritic, rigid and fixed. The Achilles tendon becomes contracted and this worsens the deformity. Pain, swelling and walking difficulty become more consistent
Flat feet don’t usually cause problems
It is recorded that about 25 percent of American adults have a flat foot condition. Having a flat foot is not a severe problem if you don’t feel any pain or discomfort. No treatment is needed for this condition if you are not feeling pain or discomfort in your foot. However, you may have a poor posture if you have flat feet.
If you are feeling some discomfort or pain in your feet when walking, running, or standing, you need to see an orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist for treatment.Some of the treatments which can be recommended by the specialists are:
Therapy
Personal Remedies
Diet
There are some personal changes you need to effect to reduce feet pains. As you know, obesity is a factor that increases the risk of flatfeet. Your doctor may recommend a diet program to ensure weight loss. This will automatically reduce the pressure on your feet.
Surgery
Having a flatfoot reconstruction surgery is the last option if simple non-operative measures have failed to cure your symptoms. An arch may be created in your feet by your orthopedic surgeon. Concurrently, lengthening of the tight tendon and fusion of selected joint segments may be necessary.
Managing your symptoms from a Flat Foot Condition
Slowing down the progression is the name of the game. In most instances, wearing an arch support and supportive running shoes will help alleviate a significant component of pain. However, if the pain recurs with your functional or even recreational activity, it is best to consult with Dr. Gowreeson
