Have you ever been told that you have a small arch in your foot? Do people comment that your foot points outwards? If someone stands behind you, can they see your toes? If so, you might have flat feet.
How Flat Feet Happen
How does your foot collapse in the first place? What causes you to have a flat foot?
There are a few reasons why you might develop flat feet over time. Here are a few of the most common ways this foot condition occurs:
- Obesity
- Improper shoes
- Damage to the tendon that holds your arch up (posterior tibial tendon dysfunction or PTTD)
- Inflammation from overuse
- Involvement in high-impact sports
- Genetics
There are many causes of flat feet, but one thing is for sure—it’s a painful condition to live with.
The Pain of Flat Feet
Flat feet hurt. There’s no way around it. From the inside of your foot to your ankle, you will feel aches and pain.
When you go out for your morning run or chase your kids at the park, the pain only increases. Any high-impact activity causes you to live in discomfort. Arthritic and diabetic feet might start to form lumps underneath the arch as the body tries to support the collapsed foot.
It’s painful, but you don’t have to keep suffering.
Treating Flat Feet
There are many ways to treat flat feet.
If your flat feet are not yet severe, you might be able to heal with some over the counter anti-inflammatory medication, rest, elevating your feet, ice, and compression. Your podiatrist might also prescribe wearing night splints to support your feet while you sleep.
In more severe cases, you might need to wear a walking boot, custom orthotics, and physical therapy.
The longer you wait to have your flat feet diagnosed, the more likely it is that you will need advanced treatment. If you have any symptoms of flat feet, it is time to schedule an appointment with one of our Blacksburg or Roanoke podiatrists. Call either our Roanoke office at 855-997-2367 or our Blacksburg office at 855-981-0577 to schedule an appointment.