Every baby has flat feet when they’re born, with the arch developing by the time a child reaches 6. However, around 2 in 10 people have flat feet as adults.
Some babies have vertical talus, a congenital disability (a medical problem they’re born with) that stops arch formation. With this condition, the talus bone in a baby’s ankle grows in the wrong position, creating a shape like a rocking chair bottom.
With adult-acquired flatfoot (fallen arches), the arch drops suddenly or collapses. That most often occurs because of an injury like a torn posterior tibial tendon (the connective tissue supporting the arch). Fallen arches can be painful because they force the foot outward.
Flat feet don’t cause problems for most people, but some experience discomfort and mobility issues. At Lone Peak Foot & Ankle Clinic, our podiatrist offers comprehensive assessment and treatment for patients with problematic flat feet.
Genes play a significant role in determining if you have flat feet, low arches, or high arches, so your feet likely are similar to your parents’ feet. Injuries and other health issues can also increase your risk of flat feet, including:
In most cases, flat feet aren’t preventable.
Some people have flexible flat feet — the most common kind. If you have flexible flat feet, arches are visible when you take the weight off your feet but disappear when you stand.
Flexible flatfoot develops in later childhood or adolescence and affects both feet. It typically worsens with age.
Someone with the less-common rigid flat feet has no arch, regardless of how much weight they place on their feet. Like flexible flat feet, the rigid version usually develops in adolescence and worsens in later life.
As mentioned, most people with flat feet don’t experience issues, although that can change with age. Problems we see at Lone Peak Foot & Ankle Clinic possibly caused by flat feet include:
The connective tissues in the arches may swell, stretch, and tear.
You might find moving your feet up, down, and side-to-side hard.
You may experience cramps, muscle pain, aching, or fatigue in your feet or legs.
Pain can affect the foot’s arch, heel, ankle, or outside edge. You might experience discomfort when walking, and pain can extend into the back. You could be more prone to shin splints — pain at the front of the lower leg after exercise.
Your gait (how you walk) might alter because of your flat feet. You might also develop toe drift, where the toes and the front of your foot point outward.
The inner bottom areas of your feet might swell.
Numbness might develop in the feet or ankles if there’s pressure on the nerves.
Overpronation is where your ankle turns too far downward and inward when you walk. It can strain the toes, the inside of your foot, and your ankle.
Flat feet and overpronation change your weight distribution, impacting the joints and muscles in the lower body. In some cases, this affects mobility, reduces quality of life, and may increase your risk of diseases like Type 2 diabetes if you can’t exercise enough.
People with flatfoot are also more likely to develop other foot issues, such as bunions and hammertoes.
If your flat feet cause any of the above problems, visit us for a comprehensive evaluation. Our dedicated team offers treatments ranging from noninvasive therapeutic ultrasound and orthotics to reconstructive surgery.
Call the Lone Peak Foot & Ankle Clinic office in Draper or Orem, Utah, today to arrange a consultation or discuss your concerns about flat feet. We also welcome online bookings.
