Bailey is also an Anatomy and Physiology professor. Brad Longazel. Brad Longazel is a personal trainer and exercise physiologist in Louisville, Ky. He holds certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is recognized as an Olympic weightlifting coach by the U.
Weightlifting Association. Longazel earned a Master of Science in exercise physiology from the University of Louisville. Improve the health of your feet with exercises to correct fallen arches. Video of the Day. Tip In some cases, strengthening exercises can help support fallen arches. Causes of Fallen Arches. Strengthen Weak Muscles.
Consider How You Stand. Strengthen Your Ankles. Flat feet are caused by a variety of conditions including injuries, obesity, and arthritis. Aging, genetics, and pregnancy can also contribute to flat feet. Working to treat flat feel can help to bring your entire body into alignment. This may help to correct other issues in your body that have been caused by flat feet. Here are some exercises you can do to help correct fallen arches and reduce pain.
Aim to do these exercises at least three times per week. Ideally, you can fit them into your daily routine and perform them throughout the day. You may wish to use an orthotic device to support your arches and reduce stress on your flat feet.
They may help to improve function and alignment of your feet while providing support. Orthotic devices can also help to absorb impact and reduce stress.
You can buy ready-made devices or have them custom made. Stability shoes, such as motion control shoes , can also help to support your arches and provide extra cushioning. Keep in mind that it may take a few weeks of doing these exercises before you begin to see improvements. Be consistent with your approach and continue doing the exercises even after you progress.
Developing a deeper awareness of your body can help you to determine how best to adjust your posture and movement during daily activities to correct body imbalances. Make a conscious effort to pay attention to how you stand, move, and position your body, making micro-adjustments as needed. In some children, flat-footedness will not right itself. While there may be no outward explanation for this, obesity can often contribute by placing additional stress on a still-developing foot. Flat feet in children may only become apparent between adolescence and the early teen years when abnormalities in gait and pronation become more apparent.
If left untreated, the disorder can progress and worsen in later life. It is commonly associated with the deterioration of the posterior tibial tendon , which runs along your inner ankle. Faulty foot mechanics can also take their toll on the structure of arch, leading the progressive loosening of ligaments that support the foot bones. A fallen arch also known as an adult-acquired flat foot occurs most commonly in women over 40 and people who are obese.
A past injury, such as a stress fracture , may also lead to a fallen arch. Among some of the other conditions linked to adult-acquired flat foot:. Shoes can also contribute. A compressed toe box which prevents the toes from resting in a natural position and an elevated heel which causes hyperextension of the arch muscles and decreased dorsiflexion of the ankle all serve to undermine the strength and flexibility of the underside of the foot, increasing the risk of collapse.
Fallen arches are almost always permanent. With that being said, many people will have a condition known as flexible flat foot in which the arch is visible when the foot is lifted but disappears once the foot is placed on the ground. Flexible flat feet can result in pain in the foot, along the shin bone, and in the lower back, hip, or knee.
However, as a person ages, the condition can worsen and cause the collapse of one or both arches. Over time, this can lead to a condition known as rigid flat foot in which the sole is rigidly flat even when the foot is lifted.
While flat feet can usually be self-diagnosed, the underlying cause may require investigation by a foot specialist known as a podiatrist.
This may involve a visual exam as well as imaging tests to evaluate the structure of the foot. A podiatrist can usually diagnose flat feet by looking at your feet while standing. Among some of the visual tests used:. If you are experiencing a lot of foot pain , your healthcare provider may order imaging tests to help pinpoint the underlying cause. Among the imaging tests used:. The treatment of flat feet can vary in children and adults. In either case, a conservative approach is usually preferred with surgery reserved for only the more severe cases.
By and large, flat feet in children do not require treatment and will usually develop arches by adolescence or early adulthood. Children who go barefoot on varied terrain are more likely to have normal arch development, usually between the ages of 4 and 6. Current evidence suggests the use of orthotics in children with flat feet is rarely beneficial. Surgery would be performed no later than the early teens, when the bone structure is still developing.
Orthotics would then be used to ensure the foot heals in the correct position. Fallen arches in adults often require no treatment. People with persistent or severe symptoms may benefit from orthotic arch supports and foot gymnastics. Before surgery is considered, conservative treatments such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications NSAIDs , corticosteroids, and orthotics or bracing are tried.
Orthotic supports are used to change the structure of your foot. Over the course of weeks or months, layers will be added, allowing you to gradually adapt to the sensation with minimal discomfort.
Once prescribed, arch supports should be worn for the rest of your life. Treatment should also include exercises that increase arch flexibility and strength. Among the techniques commonly used by podiatrists and physical therapists:. If needed, flat foot surgery can provide lasting pain relief and may even create an arch where none existed. Because the causes and location of the pain can vary, no two surgeries are ever alike.
The surgical approach will ultimately be based on your age, your symptoms, and the nature of the structural deformity. There are two main types of surgery to treat flat feet. The most common is reconstructive surgery, which repositions the tendons and fuses certain joints to properly realign the foot. Another procedure uses a subtalar implant to support the arch. The metal implant is put in the back of the foot to correct flat feet. Foot surgery can be costly and may require extensive recovery time.
Moreover, insurance companies tend to be reluctant to approve the procedure until all other options have been exhausted. Even then, approvals can be a challenge. In some cases, approvals will only be obtained after an acute injury, such as a tendon rupture, leaves the healthcare provider with no other option but surgery. If you are bothered by symptoms of flat feet, the first course of action is to find shoes that compensate for the abnormal structure of your foot.
While there are companies that can custom-make corrective shoes, it is usually a costly process. A somewhat less costly option is to have custom-made insoles, which you can slip in and out of your pairs of shoes as needed. Some online retailers will send you a plasticine slab to create the foot mold, which they can use to create different types of insoles for running, walking, or work.
0コメント