According to former professional triathlete Mark Sisson, about 20 percent of adults have flat feet. Sisson notes that a small portion of the 20 percent is hereditary, but most flat-foot problems develop due to age, injury or shoes. Flat feet are treated a few different ways, but you can help the problem by performing exercises to strengthen your flat feet.
Side Toe Stands and Side Walking
According to author Mark Sisson, side walking and side toe stands cause your longitudinal arch to stretch. Side walking simply means walking barefoot and shifting your weight to the outside parts of your foot as much as possible. Side toe stands are performed by shifting your weight to the outside of your feet and then rising up on your toes and holding the position for five seconds. Mark Sisson advises performing five side toe stands per day.
Barefoot Walking and Running
Author Mark Sisson says that barefoot walking, especially in sand, is one of the best ways to strengthen feet. In addition, running barefoot for a portion of your workout either on grass or on a treadmill can also help strengthen flat feet. Running barefoot on your toes strengthens the muscles and ligaments of the foot.
Arch Engage Exercise
Arch engagers strengthen the muscles that support the arch, according to Bellevue Massage Therapy. These can be done while standing on a normal surface, on a book, or even on stairs. The exercise is performed much like toe raises and reverse toe raises, as you alternate between shifting weight into your heels and lifting your toes a bit, to shifting weight onto the toes and lifting the heels. Bellevue Massage Therapy recommends repeating the movements until your foot muscles are fatigued.
Toe Exercises
There are several toe exercises that can help to strengthen feet without walking, according to Robin Crawley's Dr.Feet.net. For toe spreads, spread your toes as far apart as you can. For toe closes, squeeze the toes and foot as if you are making a fist. For toe claws, grip the floor and pull your foot forward in baby steps. Another toe exercise is to pick up an object, such as a pencil, with your toes; according to Robin Crawley, this will develop strength.
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