"Flat feet" is a popular reference term for the medical condition describing feet with collapsed arches. The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) states that flat-footedness is caused either by the body's inability to develop arches or by weak muscles that fail to maintain arches. While flat feet are usually painless, the ankles develop problems from turning in to compensate for the lowered arch, according to the MFMER. Proper shoes help the ankles to support the body and reduce leg pain associated with the condition.
Arch Supports
The MFMER states that the foot is comprised of "26 bones held together by 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments" that make up what is commonly called the arch of the foot. The arches provide a spring-type system to assist in moving the body, as well as absorbing its weight over any type of ground surface. People with flat feet require walking shoes that incorporate arch supports that replicate the foot's normal curvature. Shoes can be tested by placing the fingers inside and pushing down. There should be firm support rather than soft cushioning. The fingers are then slid to the center of the shoe to feel the incline in the insole material. Flat feet require a shoe with such a built-in arch.
Shoes Accommodating Custom Arch Supports
When over-the-counter walking shoe models cannot provide the proper support for the fallen arch, custom orthotics are required. Orthotics is a medical term used to describe special appliances that are placed inside the shoe to provide an artificial curvature that approximates a natural arch. In this case, the orthotic arch replicates the height and placement of the foot arch. A podiatrist or related specialist creates a custom foot support in either a rigid, semi-rigid or soft arch, with the firmness determined by the individual's orthotic needs. A walking shoe must then be selected that provides a perfect fit for the new orthotic arch support.
Raised Insoles
Over-the-counter walking shoes designed with higher insoles (the surface on which the foot rests) are better for flat-footed walkers, because the raised area allows the middle of the foot to rest higher, providing additional support for the foot and ankles. Because the arch is different in each shoe, each person will need to try on a variety of walking shoes to approximate the arch of his feet.
Specific Shoe Design
The Mayo Clinic recommends walking shoes that have motion control and a straight last (base of the shoe) to assist in stabilizing the foot when moving. The tread pattern on the bottom of each shoe should be examined. Motion control designs have limited horizontal patterns. The Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences at the North Dakota State University Extension Service suggests that running shoes may provide the best choice for flat-footed walkers due to their additional motion control.
Shoes Accommodating Custom Wedges
Custom wedges also belong to the category of medical orthotics. Custom wedges are prescribed when over-the-counter walking shoes have created tendinitis (or the risk of this condition) in the posterior tibial tendon by failing to provide the necessary support. The Mayo Clinic states that a custom wedge used in the walking shoe reduces the amount of the load on the tendon tissue. A shoe design that accommodates additional space is necessary for walkers using this prescription wedge.
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