The issues with Flat Feet and the Remedies Required!

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flat feet

 

What are flat feet?

So, you might be wondering what flat feet exactly is. Is it a disease of some sort? Well, it is something similar. This condition is also called by the name of fallen arches. It is basically a condition where the arch of the person’s foot undergoes a collapse, resulting in the entirety of the foot coming into contact with the ground. This is opposed to what normally happens. A person’s foot generally forms an arch between the ball and the heel when coming into contact with the floor.

Now you might be thinking that it is not that big of a deal. After all, there should be no difference between placing your foot on the ground with an arch or with no arch. But that is something that a lot of people have got wrong. Having this condition is pretty problematic in a lot of ways. The sufferer experiences a lot of issues as well. It is definitely not a matter of joke and something that must be taken care of. If you are interested in finding out more, you can read on below.

What causes flat feet?

So, what are the conditions that give birth to flat feet? Well, there may be a lot of reasons which can cause such a condition. It can happen due to the arches getting fallen off. Now you may be wondering how that is possible in the first place. To be fair, it is something that happens to a very few people. The reason why it happens is prolonged years of wear and tear, the weight of which falls directly on the foot. This leads to weakening of the tendons located in the foot which result in them not being able to support the entire structure of the arch.

It can also happen due to the genetics of a person’s family. If someone in your family suffers from or used to suffer from such a condition, then the chances are that you may also have that problem. In such a scenario, there is nothing to do with the prolonged pressure that is inflicted upon the foot. To be perfectly fair, it is out of your hand. If you are unlucky enough, you will also inherit this condition from your parents, should they be affected by it as well.

Another reason that may cause this condition is if the person fails to develop the structure of the arch during his or her childhood. Another reason why this occurs is something known as over-probation. This is basically a sort of biochemical condition where the structure of the arch collapses when walking or at the bare minimum, standing. This results in a lot of imbalance leading to a lot of problems, which include experiencing pain while taking a step.

Problems related to flat feet

As mentioned before, there is a huge misconception that people suffering from flat feet face no problems whatsoever, and their feet work in pretty much the same manner as normal people. The thing is this condition itself does not cause any sort of pain. But if you allow it to grow and get prolonged, it can lead to a lot of other conditions which will be the cause of much pain to you. Some of these conditions include:

  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Heel Spurs
  • Tendonitis
  • Heel Pain
  • Shin Splints
  • Achilles Tendonitis

It is a pretty well-known fact that having this condition can lead to plantar fasciitis as well as heel pain, including young people as well. But before anything else, what exactly is plantar fasciitis? Basically, it is a stretch of tissue which extends all the way from the toes to the heel bone. A flat foot leads to this tissue becoming inflamed. And when that happens, you will find a lot of heel pain appearing as well. Such a scenario is a serious health issue and something that must be taken care of.

In most cases, surgery is always the recommended remedy. What actually happens during plantar fasciitis is that each time you put your foot on the ground, this tissue stretches a lot thus causing micro-tearing within the tissues. You will probably not be able to notice when the tearing takes place. But after taking periodic rests like taking sleep overnight, you will begin to notice your plantar fascia stretching again, once again leading to tearing at the tissue level.

And it is without a doubt that these small tears take a lot of time to heal on their own. So you have to help the tissue heal. If you do not, the pain you feel will become more severe every day. After a while, you will find yourself unable to even walk and carry out your daily activities. And the thing about this pain is that more the arch drop in your foot more is the pain. And that kind of pain has a certain name for it as well. It is particularly known as heel pain. If you suffer from having a flat foot, you can be sure that you will face this situation one day as well.

Treatment options

Long story short, having a flat foot is not something anyone would want. As you know by now, it is one of the most painful conditions that you can face in your lifetime. So the best thing for you to do would be to resort to a solution that can take care of this condition. So what are the treatment options that are available for you? If you suffer from this condition, or you know someone who suffers from it, and you want to get rid of it, then here are some of the treatment options that are available for you.

  • The path of orthotics is something that is well renowned when dealing with a flattened arch. This orthotics can easily be placed inside of your shoes in order to correct the imbalance that has risen to your feet. It basically makes an artificial arch under the base of your foot which helps correct all the complications related to your foot.
  • Another thing that you can do to treat this condition makes use of therapy in order to exercise the foot and massage it as well. And when it comes to massaging the foot, nothing comes close to the Japanese Bamboo massager. It is excellent in functioning and highly efficient as well. Getting rid of a flat foot has never been so easy.This resistance allows an arch to form in your foot with each step taken. The curve of the device allows the flatness of the foot to be removed and replaced by a natural arch structure. So, it is as effective as therapy and also helps prevent the formation of worse conditions in your foot.
  • It is basically a device that is made of a bamboo cut in half. The length of the cutting is about a foot in total. The hardened nature of the bamboo along with its curve is perfect for counter resisting the shape of the arch in the feet, that too just by stepping on it in a gentle manner.
  • Also, something that you have to remember is that you need to allow your feet to rest. The main reason why it even happens in the first place is because of muscle tearing. And that tearing needs time to heal. That is achievable by not allowing the plantar fascia to stretch anymore than it already has. Hence, having frequent rest is always recommended to people suffering from it.
  • You should also try to stop doing all the activities that may cause you pain due to this condition. That is of course until you have allowed your symptoms to die down. For instance, being overweight can cause such pain. If you too suffer from excessive weight symptoms, try working on it as much as possible. Losing weight may significantly lessen your pain.
  • Inflammation in your foot is also a reason why so much pain arises. You can reduce this inflammation by the help of immobilization. You can do so by using braces, casts or anything else. Taking inflammatory medicine can also help a great deal as well. Physical therapy is also a viable alternative, ultrasounds being a good example.
  • If nothing else works, then there is only one way to go – Surgery. This is something that you will probably want to avoid. All the above-mentioned remedies are non-surgical in nature. As such, try to get the job done with those. But if that doesn’t work, surgery will become your go-to option.

Tips for buying footwear

  • As you can guess, the footwear that a person is suffering from flat feet wears is extremely important in terms of curing the condition. Wearing the wrong kind of shoes can cause a lot of irreversible damage to your foot. This is something that you would want to avoid at all costs. So make sure that you are never misinformed about this scenario. Otherwise, it can lead to a lot of pain and agony for you.
  • The type of shoes that are always recommended by doctors for dealing with such a condition is known as motion control shoes. The thing is a flat foot can cause your ankles to turn inwards, thus throwing off your ligaments placed in the legs. This, in turn, can lead to future problems with your knees as well as hips. Motion control shoes help rectify this condition by stabilizing the heel and providing better alignment to everything else. There is also some extra cushioning and support in the area of the arch which is helpful for pretty much anyone with a flat foot.
  • Beware of really clumsy shoes like the moccasin or flip-flop. They are not good for people suffering from this condition because they lack support for the arch. In fact, these types of shoes can make things a lot worse for you. That is especially true if you use them on a regular basis. Inflammatory problems and chronic arthritic are pretty well-known problems that can persist and spread over to other areas. All of these put together can cripple the person and restrict his or her movement on a permanent basis.
  • There are also tons of athletic shoes out there which support people suffering from a flat foot. They are usually designed with arch support. Not only that, they leave enough space for your foot to be in a natural position as well. These two things are vital as far as treating your flat foot is concerned. The more you allow your foot to be in a natural position, the faster the recovery will be for your foot. Ankle sprains are also reduced by having good athletic sports shoes.
  • You will no longer have to make a compromise on style, support, and comfort. You can get all of these things together if you follow the above tips for buying your footwear. But do make sure that you never forget to take care of your condition in any way. Leaving it to be is always the worst thing to do in your part. Take care of it while it is still curable. Otherwise, it may haunt you in the future.

Conclusion

Having a flat foot can lead to a lot of problems like heel pain, plantar fasciitis, etc. The stretching of the plantar fascia muscle beyond its own capabilities leads to these terrible, painful conditions. Healing these tissues can take a lot of time. As such, getting some rest is vital to your recovery.

Visiting a doctor and getting a proper diagnosis is something that you should also do. Getting some proper medication is never a bad thing for you. Wearing proper shoes is also very important as well. The wrong kind of footwear can cause permanent problems to your already big problem. So make sure to remember these tip if you want to get rid of your problem of flat feet.

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