Flat Feet Treatment And Exercises

Are flat feet something you should worry about? As it can turn out, having pes planus (another name for this condition) also known as overpronation can actually cause problems in a variety of other areas. Fallen arches can lead to overstress and problems with the joints in your feet, your ankles, and even your knees. This condition can even cause problems with the support for your spine and upper body.

If you stand in bare feet on flat surfaces, and your feet’s inside edges are touching the ground, or are in fact very close to the ground, then you may have fallen arches. A good way to test for this is to wet the bottoms of each foot, and then stand on a piece of paper. If the whole surface of each foot becomes imprinted upon the paper, then you have fallen arches. Approximately 20% of the population has this condition.

If you do have this condition, there are a number of things you will want to keep in mind. Particularly in terms of flat feet treatments and flat feet exercises, there are several possibilities that you can explore.

What Causes Flat Feet?

If you do have pes planus, then you have a partial or complete loss of your medial longitudinal arch. Some people simply never develop one of these arches, which begins to form during normal childhood development. While we do not have an exact cause at this time, most experts believe this condition comes from both environmental and genetic elements.

There are two types to consider. Flexible refers to feet that can form the arch, but are unable to stand up to any kind of pressure. Rigid refers to feet that cannot form an arch whatsoever, usually due to the formation of bones in your feet.

Keeping all of this in mind, your next step will be to look at some flat feet treatments and exercises. On this front, you will find several possibilities to explore.

Treating Flat Feet

When it comes to treatments for fallen arches, there are a number of possibilities that you can check out. Shoe inserts are a popular option. Customized orthotics can also give you what you are looking for, and there are a number of supportive footwear options available, as well.

Finally, there are several flat feet surgical possibilities that your doctor may discuss with you. This can involve having ankle/foot bones fused together, having spurs removed, or cutting/changing the shape of your bones. These and other surgical options can strike you as a little extreme. To that end, you will want to consider some of the treatments and exercises that you can try on your own.

Flat Feet Exercises

Here are some incredibly simple exercises for a flat foot that you can try:

• Walk barefoot: This sounds a little absurd, but walking around the house barefoot can actually prove to be quite beneficial. You’re pushing, flexing, grasping, and pulling your foot into its natural shape, and you’re doing this in the most natural, gentle way possible. This won’t work for everyone, but it can work for more minor cases.

• Heel separation: Sit down in a chair, keeping your feet together. Start separating the heels while keeping the toes touching. Doing this slowly back and forth, you should give your arches some nice stretching exercises.

• Tennis balls: Put a tennis ball under your heel. Try to touch the floor with your toes, maintaining a steady in/out breathing pattern as you move. Of course, you won’t be able to get to the floor, but you will be able to strengthen your arches. Next, have the ball placed towards the toes of the foot, and try to touch the floor with your heel. Do this for about 20 minutes, if you have the time, and then make the switch to your other foot. Again, do this for about 20 minutes.

• Yoga: The health benefits of yoga makes for a pretty long list. As it turns out, certain yoga exercises can also help with your flat feet. In particular, the eagle pose can prove to be extremely beneficial to weary arches.

• Pointing exercise: Simply sitting up in bed, putting out your feet, and pointing them forward for about fifteen seconds can prove to be extremely beneficial to your arches. Point forward for fifteen seconds, rest for about ten seconds, and then repeat everything. You can do this approximately 10 to 15 times for each foot.

These are just five possible exercises for flat feet. You can also help with your arches to a significant degree by dealing with certain conditions that can cause problems with your feet. This can include high blood pressure, obesity, and even diabetes.

Taking an extended break from high-impact sports, or from anything that puts stress on your feet, is also a really good idea.