Flat Feet
Knoxville’s Choice for Flat Feet Treatment in Tennessee
Our Specialty
What is Flat Feet?
Flatfeet, also called flatfoot, is a common condition in which the arches on the inside of the feet flatten out when they are put under pressure. When people with flatfeet stand up, their feet point outward and their whole soles touch the floor.
All kids are born with flat feet. Most arches are formed by age 6. About 2 out of 10 people who had flat feet as children still do. Some people have collapsed arches, which is another name for flat feet.
Subspecialties
Flat Feet Symptoms
Most people with flatfoot don’t have any signs or symptoms. But some people with flat feet have pain in the heel or arch of their foot. Pain may get worse when you do things, and the inside of the foot may swell.
What Causes Flatfoot?
Flatfeet are common in babies and young children because their feet don’t have arches yet. Most people get arches as they grow up, but some people never get arches.
Some children have flexible flatfeet, which is when the arch is noticeable when the child is sitting or standing on their toes but disappears when the child stands. Most kids grow out of flexible flatfeet on their own.
Over time, the muscle that runs along the inside of the ankle and helps support the arch can weaken or tear. As the pain gets worse, arthritis may start to show up in the foot.
What Increases the Risk for Flat Feet?
Some things that can make flatfeet more likely are:
- Obesity
- Getting hurt on your foot or ankle
- Diabetes
- Aging
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Flatfoot Treatment
If there is no pain, treatment is not necessary. However, for a painful flatfoot condition, nonsurgical options can include:
- Arch supports – Pain from flat feet can be eased with over-the-counter arch supports. Sometimes, doctors will suggest arch supports that are made to fit the shape of the foot. Arch supports won’t fix flatfeet, but they often make the condition easier to deal with and ease symptoms
- Stretching exercises – Some people who have flatfeet may also have an Achilles tendon that is too short. Stretching exercises for this tendon could help
- Physical therapy – Some walkers may get overuse injuries because they have flat feet. A physical therapist can give you routines to strengthen the muscles and tendons in your feet, as well as advice on how to improve the way you walk
Surgery is not always done to fix flat feet. Surgery may be a choice for people who have tried nonsurgical treatments but still can’t do the things they want to do because of pain. The problems with the bones and tendons that are causing the pain can be fixed with surgery.
Flatfoot Care in Eastern Tennessee
Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance has many locations in and around Knoxville where they offer orthopedic foot and ankle care. If you have pain from flat feet, make an appointment with one of our foot and ankle experts so you can get back to doing the things you love without pain.
Our Foot And Ankle Surgeons
Recent Articles
3 Tips When Your Foot is Broken Inside Your Boot
A broken foot involves an injury to the bone. You could break your foot in a car accident or if you just trip and fall. The damage caused by a broken foot can vary, and fractures can be anything...
What is a Foot and Ankle Surgeon?
If you think you need an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon, this article will help you learn more about what they do and how they can help you get rid of your pain.
Surgical Treatment Options for Ankle Arthritis with Dr. James T. Reagan, M.D.
Ankle arthritis is a very debilitating problem and it causes lots of disability. Dr. Reagan talks about ankle arthritis surgical treatment options.
What is causing my heel pain?
Hi, I'm Dr. Michael Tompkins. I'm an orthopedic surgeon at TOC and I'm foot and ankle trained. So I have a lot of patients that come to my clinic with a lot of heel pain. Sometimes it's hard to...