Flat Feet and Discomfort: How to Stay Active Despite the Pain

Everyone is born with flat feet, but if your arches don’t form fully in childhood, you may experience pain and mobility issues as an adult.

At Acacia Foot and Ankle Surgeons in Peoria and Phoenix, Arizona, we offer customized care for individuals with flat foot deformities that interfere with exercise, sports, and other activities.

Board-certified podiatrist Kaveh Panahi, DPM, focuses on relieving pain and other symptoms, so you’re able to keep up with your favorite activities and enjoy life fully.

Why you have flat feet

Having flat feet means that you have little to no arch in the bottoms of your feet, leaving the soles of your feet to lay flat on the ground when standing still.

Typically, the arches of your feet develop during your early childhood years. If the arches don’t form properly, your feet can remain flat as an adult.

You might also experience flat feet at an older age if your foot arches collapse because of:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Foot fractures
• Tendon tears
• Achilles tendonitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Your risk for flat feet might increase significantly if you have close family members with the condition.

Complications of flat feet in adults

Many adults with flat feet retain their mobility without pain or other side effects. However, if your feet aren’t flexible or your arches collapse outward, you can damage the tendons that support the arch and experience issues like:

• Muscle cramps
• Toes that move sideways
• Foot, ankle, and leg pain
• Changes in your gait

These symptoms can make it difficult for you to walk even short distances, which can change your overall activity level. Less activity in your day can also cause issues with your health and leave you vulnerable to conditions like hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, and obesity.

If persistent foot or ankle pain interferes with your daily routine, you can find customized treatment plans at Acacia Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Our physicians take a patient-centered, whole-body approach to flat foot care, so you can minimize your risk for additional complications.

Minimally invasive therapies for flat feet

If flat feet symptoms are mild, our podiatrists might initially suggest lifestyle changes and diet modifications to support weight loss. You might also need to limit certain activities for some time to give your soft tissues time to heal.

Daily stretching exercises are beneficial for pain relief and can help improve your mobility. We can also recommend shoe styles that provide adequate support for your feet or prescribe custom orthotics that offer supplemental arch support.

When flat foot pain is moderate, our providers may refer you for physical therapy. They can also prescribe oral or injectable medications to reduce inflammation and better control pain.

If nonsurgical therapies aren’t working well and your symptoms are severe, you may be a candidate for surgery. Surgical treatments may involve fusing two or more joints together to prevent movements that trigger pain or correcting bone misalignments.

Call Acacia Foot and Ankle Surgeons today to schedule a consultation to discuss your options for flat foot pain. You can also book an appointment online.