Flat Feet
Flat feet (pes planus) are caused by the foot’s inability maintain its natural arch shape when weight is place upon it. As a result when you stand up in bare feet, the entire sole of the foot touches the ground.
Flat feet can be the result of obesity, improper walking gait or a congenital disease, but in all cases the muscles and ligaments in your foot arch are tired and painful, making proper walking difficult.
In normal walking, the arch of your foot acts like a shock absorber, spreading the impact across the whole foot. With flat feet, the arch doesn’t restore properly, so your knees and hips can also suffer greater impact shock. So, flat feet (sometimes called fallen arches) can also result in sore knees, hips, ankles, back, and neck.
The good news is that flat feet can usually be supported using custom-made orthotics, devices that fit into your normal shoes and boots to realign the feet properly. Many of our patients are amazed at how such a seemingly simple method revolutionizes their walking and any associated pain. For more details, see our Custom Orthotics page.
So, if you’ve suffered for too long from flat feet, fallen arches, foot cramps, foot pain, swollen or sore ankles, or have a recent foot injury that just won’t go away, come and see us at one of our three local foot and ankle clinics in Ingersoll, Stratford and London. See our Book an Appointment page for full details!