6 Causes of Flat Feet | What are the Causes of Flat Feet?

Flat feet are one of the many foot issues faced by people nowadays. It is quite common in people of the present age than the previous ones due to many reasons which we will discuss shortly. But first, what you need to know is what causes flat feet and what actually are flat feet?

What are Flat Feet?

Flat feet are a type of feet shape and style where they don’t have an arch or some sort of elevation in the middle part of the forefoot. Normal feet usually have this arch but in the case of flat feet, it is absent. These types of feet aren’t usually specific to any age factor, gender role, etc. they can develop in anyone of any age due to some behavioral characters and manners.

We have already explained the method of how to fix flat feet. It’s a must-read article for you.

How do you check for the presence of flat feet?

People facing certain symptoms question themselves like do I have flat feet? The answer to this can only be given on a self-analysis kind of basis. The biggest concern of all when it comes to flat feet is to actually check whether or not your feet type flat at all or not. This can be easily done from the comfort of your own home.

Read this complete guide to know if you have flat feet or not!

All you have to do is stand in front of a long mirror with your feet straight on the ground and observe your feet shape. If your feet are fully in level with the ground, then you are most likely to have flat feet. Still, this doesn’t particularly specify for flat feet. You still have to get your feet examined by a professional physician so that there is not any kind of mix up.

If you think you are an underpronator or supinator, then you should read this article on How to fix underpronation or supination.

What are the symptoms of flat feet?

Before talking about the causes of flat feet, I think it is compulsory to highlight its symptoms so that you have a clear view of what you are actually going through or if it is relatable or not. Tired of frequent ankle pains and all? Well, this article is just the right type for you to clear up your confusion and have a better overview of your own situation. Following are some of the flat feet symptoms:

1) Frequent ankle sprains

These can start from mild sprains and lead to excessive spraining with passing time

2) Excessive pain in the lower foot region

This kind of stinging pain makes going about your day quite unpleasing

3) Swelling in the feet

Due to being over-weight, flat feet develop as your feet eventually swell up

4) Development of Achilles Tendonitis

The Achilles tendon in the foot gets damaged due to excessive tension in that region

5) Bunion formation

A small outgrowth of a bone or joint forms towards the outer edge of the toes with is quite painful when wearing shoes

What causes flat feet?

Now let’s have an outlook of what actually causes flat feet in people. There are many things which we do in our daily routine which lead to flat feet. These little things can lead to much bigger issues which we definitely never have an idea of. So let’s dig into causes of flat feet without further ado:

Checkout the Causes of High Arches.

• Wearing the wrong type of shoes for long durations
• Swollen feet make it uneasy to function
• Ankle deformities may also lead to flat feet for some people
• Inheritance also is the main factor that adds to this issue
• Obesity can add to this issue
• Some medical conditions also contribute to flat feet deformity

Let us now discuss elaborately, how these causes work which in turn develop flat feet in a person.

1) Wearing wrong shoe type

Wearing the wrong shoe type is a very common mistake done by people which leads to them having flat feet in their life. This is characterized as a mistake because people tend to fall for looks more than comfort. This is a home truth especially in the case of our today’s modern society. If one feels discomfort in a certain shoe, he does not get rid of it, instead wears it for as long as he wants just for pleasing others into thinking that he is quite up to date with modern fashion.

This behavior becomes quite fatal in the nearer future because one day he is pleasing others, but the next day when he will be in pain, no solution would work as it will be too late. This is why it is advised to wear shoes in which you feel the most comfortable so that you don’t develop flat feet deformity.

2) Swollen feet turn to flat feet

By wearing the wrong type of shoe, you will most likely get swollen feet. This will neither be a very pleasant sight nor will be comfortable at all. Your feet swell when they are in a very uptight kind of environment and hence the blood rushes to your feet at a greater rate causing an increased rate of blood circulation in your veins. The veins swell up and hence your feet look bloated aka swollen. As you walk with swollen feet, the arch in your feet diminishes slowly and hence flat feet appear.

3) Ankle deformity

When the feet of a person undergoes some sort of injury or other issues, it leaves certain changes on the way of that person’s daily routine. These changes may be drastic or mild depending upon their severity. In some cases, ankle sprains may turn out to be a little more severe than they actually are. This is because it may lead to many complications if not treated properly. The ankle sprain can turn your feet’ arch completely flat as when you walk with sprained ankles; your gait style is completely changed. This new gait style may also cause flat feet.

4) Gene related issue

Have you ever wondered that when you go to a doctor for getting your flat feet problem fixed, the first question he asks is: “Do any of your parents or forefathers have had the same issue?” and you just sit there completely clueless that how come is he asking about my parent’s issue and not mine. This is because having flat feet is also caused by genetics. If any of your parents or forefathers had this issue, then you or maybe one of your siblings is also most likely to have flat feet by birth or it may appear later in life. This tells that inheritance plays a major role when it comes to flat feet.

5) Being obese may cause flat feet

When you gain weight, your body organs also tend to increase in size and weight. This leads to your body producing more and more fat and it gets accumulated in your body parts. Hence, making you over-weight. This increased weight not only disturbs your daily life routine but also develops flat feet. This is done so because eventually due to increased weight, the arch of your foot doesn’t stay much elevated and hence it droops downward leading to the development of square feet.

6) Medical conditions may lead to flat feet

In some feet related medical issues, flat feet may develop due to a number of reasons. A form of arthritis known as Rheumatoid arthritis leads to the development of flatfoot pain which isn’t very pleasing at all. It is a very stinging kind of pain.

Conclusion

So now it is quite evident from the above discussion what causes flat feet. Take a look at your daily routine to check if any of these factors are a part of your daily life by any chance. If yes, then immediately change your ways or else you may get yourself stuck in some new problems which will make you put a hold on your daily life and this obviously is no solution to any problem.