Exercise & Flat Feet

Feet aid in stabilizing your body and carrying you through all daily activities. Though the focus is often on making sure you have proper fitting shoes that are comfortable and also uniquely designed to help you in your specific activity -- such as running, hiking or cross-training -- it's easy to ignore the physical structure of your feet. This can be an important indicator of what types of activities could benefit your physical make-up, and which exercises might predispose you to injury.

Flat Feet Defined

An average of 20 percent to 30 percent of the population goes through life without developing an arch in the foot, but the normal structure of the foot was intended to have an arch to help keep some of the sole off the ground. This alleviates stress and potential pain during everyday activities such as running or walking. Although a flat foot is easy to recognize visually, a quick and easy test to determine whether you're flat-footed is to wet the bottom of the foot and make an imprint. If the entire sole of the foot is visible in the print, this is an indicator of flat feet, Health Guidance says.

Exercise Risk

Certain exercise can be more painful when a person has flat feet, especially when engaging in exercise that includes running or sprinting. When you have flat feet, your gait becomes adjusted during exercise, which forces your foot to pronate. This causes your ankle to turn outward and puts additional strain on your muscles. It can cause pain resulting from shin splints, lower back pain, tendinitis and an increased chance of twisting or spraining your ankle.

Beneficial Exercises

Some exercises can help strengthen the muscles that might be strained due to abnormal pronation that a flat-footed person might experience. These include exercises that aid in balance and stability of the lower body, particularly around the ankle. Exercises might include performing single-legged squats and single-legged calf raises, and working on unstable surfaces such as medicine balls and bosu balls that help improve your total core stability. Performing leg raises, squats and overhead movements with a small, weighted medicine ball while on the bosu ball can help create stability through mobility.

Orthotics

See an orthopedic doctor to treat pain you may experience as a result of your feet. These doctors can analyze your gait patterns and determine what kind of special trainer or shoe you should wear to facilitate the most comfort and protection while moving. These doctors can also create an insert that fits into your shoe, which can correct your gait patterns and alleviate pain.