Treating Flat Feet Also Helps Your Knees, Hips, & Back
If the entire bottom of your foot touches the floor when you are standing, then you probably have flat feet. You can see the extent of your foot print by wetting your feet first and then standing on a flat, dry surface to see if your arch touches the ground. Untreated flat feet can cause knee, hip, and back problems as well, so see your foot doctor for a complete diagnosis and the perfect custom orthotic inserts.
What are the two main types of flat feet?
Acquired flat feet—This is the type of flat feet that happens over time as the arch of the foot undergoes continuous pressure and eventually starts to lower causing increased pain throughout the foot and ankle. Your feet can also flatten due to an injury to ligaments and tendons.
Congenital flat feet—This is the kind of flat foot you can be born with and flexible flat feet is one of the most common types. People with this condition have an arch but when weight is placed on the foot, the arch falls almost completely to the floor. In other cases, people are born with hardly any arch at all, with no relation to the amount of pressure on the arch.
Treatment for flat feet includes the following:
There are a variety of treatment options available for flat feet, depending upon the severity. In fact, some people who have flexible flat feet suffer only minor problems and don’t need much treatment. Rest, icing, and physical therapy exercises can help and ibuprofen or Tylenol can be taken for pain. For more complicated cases, your foot doctor will perform a computerized gait analysis to determine the extent of your pronation problem. Wearing properly fitted shoes with custom orthotic inserts has an almost immediate effect and will also help with many knee, hip, and back issues.
For expert help treating your flat feet we highly recommend that you consult our board certified podiatrists Andrew Shapiro, DPM and Michael Barkin, DPM. With access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, we can assist you with heel pain, ankle sprains, diabetic foot care, toe deformities, nail fungus, and skin problems, among many other conditions. Our practice is conveniently located on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream to accommodate all of your foot care needs. Call (516) 825-3860 or book an appointment online today!