When to Seek Treatment for Flatfoot Deformity

Flatfoot is common, affecting about 18 million adults in the United States (and another eight million adults have fallen arches). Many people with this condition have no issues initially, but after years of daily life and normal physical activity, flatfoot deformities can worsen.

At Adler Foot and Ankle in North Miami Beach and Hallandale, Florida, we specialize in non-surgical strategies as well as minimally invasive foot surgery to correct structural foot deformities, including flatfoot.

Our highly skilled foot and ankle surgeons Laura Adler, DPM, and Charlton Adler, DPM, evaluate the severity of your flatfoot condition and provide the care you need to live an active, pain-free life. Here’s what you should know about flatfoot, including when it’s time to seek treatment. 

An overview of flatfoot

Flatfoot is a condition where one or both of your feet have little or no arch. The arch of a foot describes the curved structure made up of bones, ligaments, and tendons that make up the soles of your feet.

Foot arches are responsible for absorbing the shocks of your movements and distributing your weight evenly across your foot structures during activities like walking and running.

Humans are born with naturally flat feet, and arches typically form by six years of age. However, some children never develop proper arches and continue to have flatfeet as adults.

Flatfoot can also occur later in adulthood when arches collapse. The collapse occurs when the main tendon in the arch becomes weak due to disease or injury. Your risk of developing fallen arches as an adult increase if you have conditions like:

• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Tendon tears
• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendonitis

Obesity can also place increased strain and pressure on your arches and other soft tissues in your foot, effectively setting the stage for fallen arches and flatfoot deformities.

Recognizing the signs of flatfoot

Without sufficient arches, the soles of your feet lie flat with the pads, pressing into the ground when you stand. If you have flexible flat feet, your arches may disappear when you put weight on your foot, and then reappear when you’re sitting. Rigid flat feet describes having no arches at all, whether you’re sitting or standing.

A lack of arches can lead to symptoms that affect your mobility and your quality of life, including:

• Leg cramping
• Muscle fatigue
• Balance issues
• Ankle, heel, or foot pain
• Gait changes (how you walk)

Depending on the severity of your flatfoot deformity, you may also experience toe drift, a condition where the front part of your toes and foot point outward.

When flatfoot warrants expert care

Schedule a diagnostic evaluation with our team at Adler Foot and Ankle if you have any of the above symptoms. Problematic flatfoot — or any flatfoot deformity that causes discomfort, pain, gait changes, or restricted mobility — tends to progressively worsen without intervention, and we can recommend the treatments you need before additional complications arise.

Treatment options for flatfoot

Initially, our foot and ankle specialists recommend non-surgical therapies to ease the occasional discomfort of flatfoot. This might include the use of orthotic shoe inserts that provide your feet with reliable arch support. 

We can also teach you exercises to stretch your Achilles tendon and the muscles of your feet and ankles, to help alleviate or prevent muscle cramping and pain. Physical therapy can also provide exercises and other strategies you can use to improve your balance and strengthen the soft tissues of your feet.

When conservative therapies aren’t enough to address flatfoot symptoms, our surgeons determine if you’re a candidate for foot surgery. Our team uses minimally invasive techniques to repair damaged tendons or realign bones and provide lasting symptom relief.

Concerned about your flatfoot deformity? Adler Foot and Ankle is here to help. Give us a call today at your nearest office in North Miami Beach or Hallandale, Florida, or click online to book an appointment anytime.