Flat Foot
What is it?
Flat feet, or pes planus, occur when the arch of the foot flattens and the entire sole of the foot makes contact with the floor. Therefore, they may be standing with one or both feet flat on the floor. Flat feet are caused by arches that are too flat or nonexistent. The alignment of a person with flat feet might be affected by prolonged standing, walking, or running.
In this way, those with flat feet may be more likely to develop hip, knee, and ankle pain. Flat feet are often diagnosed through a combination of a visual inspection of the foot and imaging investigations. There are a variety of methods for dealing with heel discomfort, including over-the-counter pain relievers, orthotic arch supports, foot exercises, and, in rare cases, surgery.
Type of Flat Foot
The types of flat foot include:
- Flexible
- Rigid
- Adult acquired
- Vertical Talus
Flexible
The flexible form of the flat foot is the most common. The foot arches are more visible when sitting or lying down. When we put pressure on our feet, our arches flatten. Flexible flatfoot occurs as a child or teen grows and changes.
Rigid
A person with rigid flat feet has no arch in their foot when they are standing or sitting. Many people experience the onset of this condition throughout their teenage years, and its symptoms only worsen with time.
Adult acquired
Those who have flat feet as adults experience a sudden collapse or lessening of the foot’s arch. If the arch of your foot collapses, your foot will turn outward, this can be painful.
Vertical Talus
Many newborns are born without arches because of a congenital disability known as vertical talus. It is a condition where there is an improper alignment of the talus bone in the ankle. There’s a rocking chair contour at the foot’s base. Having a vertical talus is often referred to as having a rocker-bottom foot.
Causes
A flat foot is often associated with overpronation. Overpronation occurs when the arch collapses inward as the foot makes contact with the ground, as opposed to the typical pronation in which the foot rolls evenly from heel to toe.
Overpronation, a common trait of flat feet, reduces their shock-absorbing capacity and places undue stress on the feet, ankles, and knees. Overpronation, which causes excessive tibial rotation, increases susceptibility to shin splints (shin bone). In many cases, these factors can be linked to the onset of genetic disorders in children, such as flat feet.
- Calcaneovalgus
- born with a vertical talus
- Dyspraxia
- Ehlers-Danlos condition
- Hypermobility (double-jointedness)
- Laxity of the tendons
- Metatarsal adductus
- coalitions of tarsi
Symptoms
- The most obvious symptoms of flat feet are the loss or lack of foot arches (especially while bearing weight) and soreness or weariness along the inner side of your feet and arches.
- Examples of problems include:
- Bruised shins
- Bunions
- Hammer Chronic foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis and osteoarthritis can be painful.
- Back-of-the-shin tendon dysfunction (PTTD)
- Amplification of connective tissue
- The legs, feet, and arches are fading.
- Experiencing pain in one’s toes, ankles, and heels
- and discomfort in the hips, knees, and lower back
- Activities like ankle rolling
- Abnormal gait is characterised by a change in normal walking patterns.
Risk factors involved with flat foot
Following are the factors involved:
Joint inflammation caused by rheumatoid factors
Toe deformities, persistent pain, and ligament damage can develop with rheumatoid arthritis, whereas osteoarthritis mostly affects the foot and ankle joints.
Diabetes
Patients with diabetes often have impaired foot feeling and pain sensitivity, making collapsing arches more dangerous for them than for persons without the disease.
Obesity
When a person is overweight, extra strain is put on their feet, particularly the arches.
Age
People over the age of 50 are more prone to have foot problems, such as fallen arches, due to the increased risk of arthritis, osteoporosis, and weakening muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Physical therapy for flat feet
Pain relief and improved posture can be achieved with regular arch strengthening exercises. Because stronger foot arches will result in reduced muscular soreness in the feet and legs, most flat foot routines are still recommended, even if you have a partial flat foot or a regular, healthy foot arch. Here are some of the most effective workouts for flat feet:
- Scrunching up a Towel
- Exercises including heel lifts on stairs
- Extending the toes
- Stork elongation
- Towels are stretched
- Therapy using the Foot Roller and the Toe Crawl
Diagnosis
Despite the fact that the majority of cases of flat foot may be identified on one’s own, sometimes a podiatrist is needed to get to the bottom of why it’s happening. Visual inspection and imaging examinations may be required to determine the state of the foot’s skeletal framework.
It is common practice for a podiatrist to diagnose flat feet by observing the patient’s gait while the patient is standing. The following can be used as visual tests:
- The wet footprint test
- The shoe inspection test
- The too many toes test
- The tiptoe test
Treatment
Flat foot treatment may be necessary for people with fallen arches and other forms of flat foot deformity, depending on the severity and origin of the problem. If your flat feet aren’t causing you any discomfort, there’s no reason to try to correct them. In other cases, flat foot doctor in delhi may recommend one of the following treatments:
- Using ice and rest to reduce swelling and relieve pain
- stretching drills
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are examples of painkillers.
- Physical treatment
- Orthotic devices, shoe adjustments, braces, or casts
- injectable anti-inflammatory drugs like corticosteroids
There are several high-quality medical facilities available for patients with bone and skin disorders.
At Saqsham Ortho, you’ll find Gurgaon’s top orthopaedic specialist, who can help with any flat foot treatment in Gurgaon. We have someone who can treat you whether you’ve suffered a minor sprain or a debilitating ailment of the spine or shoulders.
We offer flat foot treatment physiotherapy because we want you to have the greatest outcome possible. Look no further if you are in need of an attentive and skilled orthopaedic surgeon in the Gurgaon area. Every one of our orthopaedic doctors will treat you like an individual, taking into account your current health status, past medical history, and any other particular considerations you may have. We provide a variety of flat feet treatments.
Our assistance is flexible and may be tailored to meet your needs. With over 20 years in the field, you can trust that we will provide you with the most up-to-date surgical treatments and helpful recommendations in orthopaedic care.
At Saqsham, we care for your well-being and strive to bring you the best orthopaedic care and solutions. If you are experiencing any foot and ankle issues and would like to get a medical opinion,
we’d suggest you book an appointment.