One very troublesome issue nowadays faced by many of us is having Flat Feet. Normally our feet have some sort of arch or elevation in the posterior part of it, while in flat feet, this isn’t how it works. So many people out there are quite confused about this situation and they have two major queries which are as follows:
- What basically are flat feet?
- How to fix flat feet?
Well worry not; this article is just the right stop for you all to ease your confusion and queries. But the first and foremost step is to have an idea of what actually are flat feet. I mean you cannot fix the problem unless you don’t know about it at all.
What are Flat Feet?
As we have already established the fact is that how normal feet should be i.e. they have an arch or a certain kind of elevation in the lower part, well if you think your feet are not of this sort. You need to know about other types too.
Flat Feet are those which have no arch at all in their lower foot and there is not at all any type of elevation in the middle part of the lower foot. When their feet are straight on a surface, they do not have any kind of arch. The feet are very much leveled the same as the floor. It’s a quite straight foot type in which your feet are completely aligned straight from the toes to the heel.
So now you have a complete overview of what are flat feet and now you can easily look for flat feet correction as now there will be zero chances of you mixing up the wrong feet type with this one as it is so predictable.
Now, if you think you are a supinator or underpronator then do not worry because we have already published a list of the Best Supination Shoes for you.
Is having Flat Feet a problem?
Everything happens to us for a reason whether it’s good or bad but in this case, the most frequently asked question seems to be: “Is having flat feet a problem?” The answer to this might sound a little tricky as it isn’t a Yes but it’s also a No. This is because such feet are not a disease or anything like a pandemic which may be categorized as a problem. But one other thing is that as it disrupts your normal ways of life, so you really need to focus on how to fix flat feet naturally or even synthetically for your own efficient functioning.
Causes of Flat feet
Before moving towards how to fix flat feet, it’s important for you to know the causes of flat feet. Any sort of problem whether it is serious or not is rooted in some sort of factors which are known to be as it causes. So for flat feet, there are also such factors that root up this issue in people. Such factors are:
- Wearing high heeled type shoes for prolonged durations can lead to flat feet in the future within no time
- Ankle deformities may also lead to flat feet for some people
- Genetic causes may pass this condition from parents to the next generation
- Past injuries may add to this situation too
- Obesity can add to this issue
Symptoms of flat feet
Due to the causes, a problem arises and its presence is specified by the symptoms it promotes in you. So the symptoms of you having flat feet are:
- Excessive pain in the lower region of the feet after wearing high heeled or platform type shoes
- Discomfort feeling faced in the feet while walking or running
- Tension in the Achilles
- Bunions form on the side of the feet
- Swelled up feet
Can you really fix the flat feet issue?
Yes. Orthotics is a device used to support and improve the alignment of both your ankles and feet. Some understand the benefits of orthotics as a cure for many issues. However, orthotics do not fix all problems associated with flat feet. It includes foot pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and others.
Orthotics help to adjust the position of your bones to relieve pressure on them. Plus, it improves your foot shape. If you are having problems walking, your doctor may recommend orthotics as one of several treatments available.
Here is an article for you if you want to know how to run with flat feet.
If you are still suffering from pain in the non-union area even after you have had orthotics. Orthotic needs to be made to fit correctly. Furthermore, the natural arch of the foot is not supporting enough weight. Then the orthotic will not work as intended. So, please see your doctor about the necessity of continuing treatment.
Are flat feet reversible?
The answer is yes, but the process is not as simple as it might seem. Most people who have flat feet someday will have them entirely back in a few years. However, some genetics can make it more likely to have flat feet in one shoe and not the other.
In a child, it is reversible, but in adults, it is unfortunately non-reversible. Genes alone do not ultimately determine if you will have flat feet. Still, there are certain inherited factors that it is possible to influence through lifestyle choices, physical therapy, and other factors.
How to tell if you have Flat Feet?
Before talking about how to fix flat feet, you should know if you have flat feet or not.
Having flat feet is quite common nowadays. It isn’t considered much of a taboo now as it used to be back then. This is obviously the progress of our modern era. The main and foremost measure that one needs to take in case he thinks he has developed flat feet is to actually check in a thorough manner whether he is right or not. Because sometimes one problem may be completely different from the actual one and so a person might confuse it within the two. As we have discussed the causes and symptoms with you above, so it is always mandatory to do a self-check that whether you have the same issues or not.
Distinguishing flat feet from normal feet isn’t much of a problem. You just need to keep in mind the fact that “normal feet have an arch whereas flat feet have a very low or no arch at all.” This is something for which you need not go to a hospital or any other person just to check your arch. In fact, this can be done at home from the comfort of your own bed. No kidding. Such self-checking can be done in the following ways:
- All you need to do is just place a mirror in front of you at foot level so that you can have a good view of your feet.
- Next, you have to place your foot straight and observe where your arch falls exactly. If it is very much elevated from the floor, then you have a high arch. If it visibly stoops too low to the floor or you cannot see clearly at all, it means that you have no arch, hence, flat feet.
Another thing one can do is to check the footprints of one’s feet. This also has proved to be quite helping when determining for flat feet. In this, you do not need a mirror or anything of the sort. Just some colors and paper will do the job. You need to do as follows:
- Apply some sort of color to the bottom of your foot. Make sure to apply evenly.
- Place your foot onto the piece of paper.
- Check the prints which imprint onto the paper due to your foot.
- If the imprint shoes a straight foot appearance without any sort of gaps, then you have flat feet.
Obviously, these measures are not professional measures. If a person needs further assistance, he can always visit a specialized doctor for seeking medical attention.
How to correct flat feet?
For some of us, having flat feet isn’t a very pleasing situation. This is why we look for certain treatments that might help us in correcting flat feet. There are many treatments out there for flat foot correction with a very diverse range but it is important to do your research about it. Otherwise, you may worsen up the issue instead of fixing it if you have not done your research thoroughly and chosen appropriately. This is why we have selected such treatments for you to opt for which can also help you in answering your question of how to correct flat feet naturally.
So it is advised to you to choose diversely so that no further complications are brought up in case of your flat feet problem.
Following are some treatments which may work best for fixing the flat feet situation:
- Self Diagnosis at home
- Consultation with a specialized physician
- At-home exercises
- Wearing supports such as ankle brace or arch supports
- Synthetic treatments may include surgery or two
- Losing weight will also definitely help
Correcting flat feet is now made easy by all such treatments mentioned above and now let’s have a look at how this all is going to exactly work.
Self-diagnosis at home
Whenever one wants to start correcting a problem or fixing it, he starts it from the comfort of his own home on a self-analysis kind of basis. The same goes for flat feet correction. All you have to do is follow some simple steps in front of a mirror and you will have an idea of your feet type in no time.
- First place a mirror in front of yourself
- Then stand straight in front of it but side-ways
- Now place your feet straight on the ground and observe
- Check where your arch falls
- If it isn’t a little higher than the ground with respect to the rest of your foot, then you have flat feet most certainly
- Check thoroughly so that you don’t confuse your feet type with flat feet
Visit a physician
Now, if you have observed flat feet on a self-diagnosis basis, the next step should be to visit a doctor and consult with him about your situation. Professional guidance is always important no matter what the problem is. The physician will check your feet according to his own methods and then he will let you know further about how you can work for fixing the situation. He may also suggest you wear some sort of support.
Wear ankle supports or arch supports
The doctor will prescribe you to wear ankle supports or arch supports which will help you to walk without feeling flat feet pain and discomfort. Such ankle supports or arch supports are found in almost every pharmacy near you. It’s best for you to wear such supports as these will help you to function quite efficiently and walk easily while having full control over your gait. Otherwise, in the case of flat feet, people face a very common problem which is walking without control. This leads to them walking or running without any sort of control over their gait and so they are at a greater risk of falling or spraining their ankles.
At home exercises
Surely we also have to remove your confusion of how to fix flat feet naturally at home, so we have picked out some exercises specifically for you to follow for getting rid of flat feet and for developing some sort of arch shape.
1-Toe stretch
In this simple exercise, all you have to do is sit on a chair and relax completely. Then fold your one leg onto the other and hold that leg’s foot up near you at an easy position. Then hold the toes of that foot with your hand and stretch them a little to the back but be careful to not be too aggressive at all. Hold this stretch for 10-15 seconds and then release. Repeat the same for the other foot too.
2- Tennis ball rolling
The easiest of all is the tennis ball rolling. You simply have to place a tennis ball under your foot and roll it upon it for 20 seconds slowly to ease the pain in the lower region of the foot. It also helps in developing arches under thereby stretching the tendons of the foot. Repeat for the other foot as same.
3- Heel raises
This exercise also requires you to be sitting on a chair and perform it. The only thing you have to is let go of yourself to relax the body and take a deep breath in. Exhale slowly. Then raise your heels from the ground by putting the feet’ weight on your toes. Make sure that your knees are straight during this process. Hold this stretch for 15-20 seconds almost.
Surgical treatments
Getting a surgical treatment done for your flat feet is not as dreadful as it sounds. The only thing you have to make sure in case of these is to get these treatments done by a very renowned and well-experienced physician. Because in some cases people think that they need to get the surgery done, but in fact, their condition is not as worse as they think of it.