Left untreated, fallen arches, or flat feet, not only cause pain but leads to other serious foot and joint problems. With proper shoe selection and exercises you can being to strengthen and restore the arches in your feet.
Causes
The direct cause of being flat footed is linked to a muscular imbalance in the intrinsic muscles of the foot and ankle. When your main arch-supporting tendon, the posterior tibial tendon, decreases in strength due to muscle decay or injury, the foot begins to flatten and can cause pain during normal activities. Weakness in the tendon can be present at birth due to genetics or can develop from early walking patterns. However, in the most people who experience fallen arches, it comes from strain due to aging or placed on the feet from standing or walking in heels for long periods of time. Improper footwear that doesn't support the arch of the foot can also cause the muscles to fatigue.
Correcting Muscle Weakness in Foot
The muscles that are under your foot are responsible for raising the arch of your feet. When these muscles are weak the foot flattens and can cause pain. These muscles can be worked by grabbing a towel with your toes.
Standing Considerations in Correcting Arches
If you suffer from fallen arches, the deformity may be more pronounced when you stand. Any standing exercise will place strain on the posterior tibial tendon and cause the foot to flatten. Shifting the weight around your foot from the inside to outside edge of your feet while standing can be an effective way to strengthen arches to help correct the fallen arch.
Correcting Arch with Ankle Strength
The large gross movement muscles in the ankle can also help fix your arches. Standing calf raises work these muscles. They are done by placing your toes on the edge of a stair or raised surface with your heels hanging down and then lifting yourself up onto your toes. This will make your heels higher than your toes. This movement help to restore the arches of your feet and strengthen the entire foot and ankle complex as well. Gradually starting an exercise program and walking in comfortable appropriately fitted shoes will provide the support and strength needed to restore your arches.
References
- "Foot Ankle International";Treatment of Flatfoot Deformity with Concurrent Spinal Disease in Children; Song WD, Li D; August 2010
- The Podiatry Institute: Fallen Arches
- "Foot Ankle International"; Relationship Between Explosive Muscle Strength and Medial Longitudinal Arch of the Foot; Lizis P; September 2010
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