Xiaowen's toddler, just 2 years old, was discovered during a bath to have a noticeable bony protrusion on the inner side of each foot. The child walked with an abnormal gait, appearing slightly bowlegged and knock-kneed. The toddler resisted walking, instead dragging the entire sole of each foot flat against the ground like a duck's webbed feet. A distinct flapping sound could be heard when attempting to jog a few steps. Concerned, Xiaowen took the child to the hospital, where the doctor diagnosed flat feet.
What is flatfoot?
Flatfoot refers to the loss of the foot arch. The normal arch height ranges from 14mm to 18mm. A height below 14mm is classified as flatfoot, while above 18mm indicates high arches.
Also known as fallen arches, flat feet describe a condition where the medial longitudinal arch flattens, disrupting the weight-bearing line and causing symptoms like fatigue or pain. This deformity can be congenital or postural, resulting in low arches, lax soft tissues, and heel valgus deformity.
Flat feet commonly occur in infants, children, and young adults. While some cases may resolve spontaneously with age, others may progressively worsen.Fortunately, most flat feet present no significant symptoms initially. Over time, however, they may cause pain and affect other joints in the body. Early symptoms include pain on the medial anterior aspect of the ankle, worsening with prolonged standing or walking and improving with rest. Swelling may appear on the outer side of the painful joint, walking becomes difficult, and the heels may splay outward.
How to identify flat feet?
Footprint analysis offers a simple, quick, and economical measurement method. Indirectly diagnosing flat feet through footprint analysis is widely used to assess arch reduction and heel valgus due to its convenience and efficiency. By measuring footprint patterns, feet can be classified to evaluate medial arch height and heel valgus severity.You can place a paper towel on the floor, wet your entire foot, step on the towel, and observe your footprint. What causes flat feet? 1. Congenital factors such as genetics.
2. Many acquired factors also significantly contribute to arch collapse, such as prolonged standing under load, long-distance walking, ill-fitting shoes, or wearing high heels. These situations place excessive stress on the arch, while the muscles and ligaments supporting it have limited tension, gradually flattening the arch.
3. Muscle weakness. Individuals who are bedridden, immobile, or have weak foot muscles lack consistent exercise for their muscles and ligaments. This causes the foot's soft tissues to lose elasticity, leading to arch collapse. Therefore, to prevent flat feet, avoid prolonged standing or walking, minimize high-heel use—especially when bearing weight—and ensure your feet get adequate rest. Never let your feet remain in a state of soreness.
What are the risks of flat feet?
1. Aesthetic impact: This refers not only to the arch's appearance but also its functional role. The arch provides crucial cushioning and protection for foot joints and muscles, preventing excessive load damage.Without the arch, ground impact on the foot increases, leading to greater wear on skin and muscles, more severe joint deformation, and other issues. This is also why flat feet and bunions often occur together, creating a vicious cycle where they mutually exacerbate each other.
2. Increased risk of heel injuries. Individuals with flat feet often walk with an inward-pointing gait (pigeon-toed), causing the outer edges of the heels and inner soles of shoes to wear down, leading to heel injuries.
3. Difficulty sustaining prolonged walking or exercise. Extended walking or excessive activity can cause inflammation from overuse of the foot's soft tissues and pain from improper stress on the joints.
4. Triggers various inflammatory pains
Flat feet frequently cause plantar fasciitis, foot pain, Achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis, hip tendonitis, bunions, Achilles tendonitis, lower back pain, and even neck pain.
5. Impact on skeletal development
As children grow, flat feet can affect spinal development, leading to knock knees, pelvic tilt, scoliosis, uneven shoulders, and other long-term consequences.
What to do if flat feet cause pain?
Beyond pain, abnormal gait, recurrent sprains, knee bowing, pelvic tilt, scoliosis, and uneven shoulders may all be linked to flat feet. When flat feet are accompanied by pain, it constitutes flatfoot syndrome.Individuals with this condition require a comprehensive evaluation by a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist. Treatment may involve muscle and tendon stretching exercises, custom orthotic insoles, or minimally invasive surgery when necessary.
Orthotic insoles function similarly to eyeglasses. While glasses don't actually improve vision, they provide corrective support. Orthotics offer external stabilization to help the foot achieve proper support, thereby correcting abnormal arch issues.
4 Exercises to Improve Your Flat Feet
1. Sole Relaxation
Stand or sit on a chair, balancing on one foot. Press a tennis ball or fascia ball under the sole of the other foot (from heel to metatarsophalangeal joints). Slowly roll it back and forth 20-30 times. Perform 2-3 sets daily.
2. Towel Grip
Sit with a dry towel flat under your feet. Grip the towel firmly with your toes, hold for 3 seconds, then release. Repeat 15-20 times per set, 2-3 sets daily.
3. Standing or Seated Heel Raises
Sit on a chair with the soles and toes of both feet flat on the ground. Lift your heels as high as possible while simultaneously pressing down with your hands on your knees to resist the movement. Hold at the highest point for 3 seconds, then lower your heels. Repeat 15-20 times, performing 2-3 sets.
4. Big Toe Curls
Stand or sit. Curl your big toe upward as far as possible, hold for 5 seconds, then release. Repeat 15-20 times per set, performing 2-3 sets daily.