Flat feet are characterized by the lack of a foot arch. With this condition, the entire foot is in contact with the floor upon standing. Flat feet are common and usually painless, and treatment isn't necessary for most people with the condition, advises MayoClinic.com. Signs of flat feet are usually apparent
by the time a child reaches a certain age range, although flat feet also can develop later in life.
Incidence
Feet usually do not begin to develop an arch until a child is at least 3 years old, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Most children develop an arch by the age of 10, but about 20 percent never do. Flat feet can occur later in life due to an injury, or simply from wear and tear over time.
Effects
Flat feet sometimes cause ankle and knee problems. The condition can make ankles turn inward, causing abnormal leg alignment. If a foot rolls to the inner side, called overpronation, weight distribution can become uneven when moving. Shoe heels wearing out quickly and unevenly is a sign of a flat foot. Swelling and pain on the inside of the ankle may occur, and so can pain in the heel or arch of the foot, the calf, the knee, the hip and the back. A person with flat feet may have difficulty standing on tiptoe.
Types
Disabilities and serious complications generally do not occur as a result of flat feet as long as the feet and Achilles tendon are flexible, explains the University of California at San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital. The foot looks flat when the person stands on the whole foot, but an arch develops when he stands on the balls of the feet or the toes. With a rigid flat foot, the foot stays flat in all positions. With a tight Achilles tendon, the individual cannot bend the foot back at the ankle more than 15 degrees. These conditions can cause pain, redness, foot calluses and damage to the Achilles tendon.
Treatment
Shoe inserts, technically called orthotic devices, can help relieve pain involved with flat feet. They are available in pharmacies, and you also can order custom-designed ones molded to the contours of your feet. Stretching exercises can help problems with the Achilles tendon. Severe tendon complications from flat feet may require surgery, notes MayoClinic.com.
