The pain may be deep and focal to a generalized widespread achy feeling. In general, patients have pain with activity such as walking or running. Patients may also experience lower back pain or leg fatigue. Muscle cramps within the foot, and onto the leg (shin splints) may occur. Commonly there is pain on the outside of the foot – where the foot meets the ankle as the collapse foot abuts against the ankle. Patients may complain of arch pain and heel pain. The severity of the flattening of the arch/foot does not always correlate with the extent of symptoms. What are the Symptoms of Flat Feet?įlat feet can exhibit a variety of symptoms – from mild to severe. The successful treatment of flexible or rigid flat feet depends on an accurate diagnosis, early treatment and in some cases proper procedure selection. In contrast, a rigid flatfoot is ‘stuck’ in the flat position regardless of whether or not there is pressure placed on the foot. The deformity in flexible flatfoot involves a mild, gradual collapse of the foot’s arch, and almost always occurs in both feet. A flexible flatfoot is a very common form of flatfoot that usually originates in childhood and lasts throughout adulthood, typically worsening without treatment. This type is considered to be hypermobile and the arch is able to be recreated when there is no weight on the foot. A flexible flatfoot is one where the foot retains motion. There are two kinds of flat feet – flexible (mobile) or rigid (stiff). There are varying degrees of ‘flatness.’ While some flat feet are not problematic at all, there are those that are painful and can cause significant discomfort and have a big impact on one’s ability to be active. Medically, the term is pes planovalgus (for a flattened foot that is pushed outwards). Flatfoot is a term used to describe a collapsed arch.

Flat feet treatments