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Office Hours: Monday 9:00-5:00
Tuesday 9:00-5:00
Wednesday 9:00-5:00
Thursday 9:00-4:00 Friday: Surgery Saturday: Closed
Flat Feet
Flat feet is a condition in
which the arch of the foot
is depressed, generally
making the sole of the foot
completely or almost
completely stay in contact
with the ground. About 20-
30% of the population
generally has flat feet
because their arch never
formed during growth.
Having flat feet can sometimes make it difficult to
walk due to the stress it places on the ankles. The
general alignment of your legs is thrown off because
the ankles move more inward which can cause
some major discomfort. This also has a big effect on
the knees as many people that have flat feet often
have arthritis in that area. However, in many cases,
having flat feet do not cause any pain and it should
not be a cause for concern in that case.
For those who run, there are specific shoes to help
realign the ankles with a lot more support and less
pronation. The weight shifting in this activity is very
quick, so that's why it's important to know if you
have flat feet early on in your life, in case of injury
down the road.
Symptoms of flat feet can include: pain around the
heel or arch area, trouble standing on the tip toe,
swelling around the inside of the ankle, flat look to
one or both feet, and having your shoes feel uneven
when worn. A major cause of flat feet is never
having developed an arch on your foot. Overtime, a
lot of stress and trauma to the foot can actually
weaken the posterior tibial tendon that runs around
the inside of the ankle. This is the reason why some
people with flat feet have pain around that
particular area.
There are a number of ways to help treat flat feet.
One way is going barefoot. Studies have shown that
those that grew up going barefoot or wearing less
closed-toe shoes actually have more of an arch
because the general strength and fullness of the
arch increased. Also, those with flat feet have a
weaker Achilles tendon, and exercise to the area will
help stretch the area. In a lot of cases, there are
great shoe inserts provided by podiatrists to provide
ankle support as well as reduce the symptoms that
go along with severe flat feet. For those that suffer
severe pain in that area, tendon surgery is an option
to help with any posterior tibial tears.
9645 Lincolnway Lane, Suite 104, Frankfort, IL 60423
(779)333-7419