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Foot Pain & Common Problems
Flat Feet
Flat FeetSome people have flat feet (no arches) and it doesn't cause them any problems. However, more often than not, if you have flat feet you are very aware of it because it does create pain in your feet, legs and back. The medical term for flat feet is pes planus.
The aim of the arch in the foot is to give us spring and distribute our body weight across our feet and legs. The structures of the arches of our feet determine how we walk - they are rigid levels which allow us to move smoothly. However, the arches need to be sturdy as well as flexible to adapt to various surfaces and stresses.
Definition:
If you have flat feet, this means that your arch has collapsed or never developed. This can be an inherited condition, meaning you may be born this way or you may develop this condition when you get older. All babies are, in fact, born with flat feet because their arch hasn't yet developed. Sometimes it never develops. Flat feet can also develop due to an injury, wear and tear due to age or a medical condition (such as rheumatoid arthritis, cerebral palsy).
Flatfeet can cause problems and pain in your ankles, knees and back because the condition can force your ankles to turn inward and this throws off the alignment of your legs and back. Even if you aren't experiencing any pain, treatment in most cases is still necessary to prevent problems in the future.
Symptoms:
Symptoms may vary and generally depend on the severity of the condition. If your feet are flat, you may experience swelling and pain on the inside of your ankle, foot pain, lower leg pain and back pain. Another indicator that you have flat feet will be uneven wearing of your shoes, plus you will be able to see the outright appearance of a flat foot, which looks significantly different from a foot with an arch.
Diagnosis:
There are two different kinds of flat feet. If you have a rigid flat foot, that means that the foot is flat regardless of whether you are sitting or standing. Those with a flexible flat foot will have a bit of an arch when they are sitting down, but that arch disappears when the person stands up and puts weight on his feet. This can lead to ankle and foot pain as well as leg, hip and knee pain. Individuals with rigid flat feet generally experience more problems and symptoms. Most qualified health care professionals can diagnose flat feet just by watching the patient stand, walk and examining his/her feet. In some cases the physician may order an X-ray, CT (computed tomography) scan, or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan.
Treatment Options:
• Well fitted and supportive shoes that are extra wide. Most patients are not wearing the right size or type of shoes for their feet.
• Fitted insoles or orthotics (custom-designed for each foot) relieve pressure from the arch and reduce pain. A good custom orthotic is an extremely valuable and simple treatment that will correct most patients’ flat feet.
• Wearing a specially designed brace may help patients that have painful tendonitis. The brace stops the foot and ankle from moving and allows the inflammation to calm down.
• Rest, Ice and anti-inflammatory medications
• Physical Therapy can strengthen the muscles around the foot and ankle and also increase range of motion in the joints. Thus, helping patients reduce their pain, inflammation and walk correctly.
• In some cases surgical intervention is required. There are many surgical procedure that will correct flat feet permanently, you doctor will best be able to determine which procedure is best for your particular case.
So to summarize, flat feet can be an extremely painful and debilitating condition that severely limit a person’s lifestyle. You can be born with flat feet or it may develop as you get older. Flat feet are very easy to diagnose and there are some very simple yet effective treatments. Again, even if flat feet don’t cause pain, they should still be treated in order to prevent problems from occurring in the future.
Labels: achilles tendonitis arch collapsed arch flat feet inherited condition NJ foot doctor nj nj foot doctor nj podiatrist nj podiatrist hillsborough orthotics physical therapy podiatrist Hillsborough podiatrist in Hillsborough podiatrist Piscataway surgery swelled ankle tendonitis turned ankles x-rays
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250 Old New Brunswick Road
Building 12
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Phone: 732-968-3833
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Central Jersey Medical & Prof. Park
349 Route 206, Suite J
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
Phone: 908-874-8030
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Offices
Family Foot & Ankle Specialists
250 Old New Brunswick Road
Building 12
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Phone: 732-968-3833
Hillsborough Office
Central Jersey Medical & Prof. Park
349 Route 206, Suite J
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
Phone: 908-874-8030