No treatment is needed if you have no symptoms. If pain continues, come and talk to us early
Flatfoot means the arch of the foot sits low. In many people this is simply part of the natural variation in foot shape, and no treatment is needed when there is no pain or other symptom. Plenty of people have flat feet and never have any trouble.
When a painful flat foot is ignored, however, the inward roll of the foot (overpronation) keeps loading the plantar fascia and the posterior tibial tendon. Over time this can be associated with plantar fasciitis, bunions, or shin splints.
In children, the arch usually forms on its own as they grow, in most cases by around the age of 10.
With a low arch, the foot tends to tilt inward with every step
Tissues on the sole and behind the inner ankle are pulled again and again
When the same spot keeps taking the load, the pain can become long-lasting
A change in foot alignment travels upward and may show up as shin or knee pain
When there is pain, the aim is to take load off the foot and ease the symptoms with better shoes, insoles, stretching, and muscle training. Most people can carry on with daily life this way. If pain is ignored for a long time, though, it can become long-lasting, or the deformity can progress until it takes more to manage.
Please see us early if you notice these signs.
Pain or swelling behind the inner ankle, one arch dropping quickly on that side alone, difficulty standing on tiptoe, or pain lasting more than 2-4 weeks even after changing shoes. These can point to a posterior tibial tendon problem (adult acquired flatfoot), a type that tends to progress over time. Numbness, warmth, marked swelling, or pain at night is also worth checking so that other conditions can be ruled out.