Flat feet can also develop as an adult ("adult acquired flatfoot") due to injury, illness, unusual or prolonged stress to the foot, faulty , or as part of the normal aging process. Flat feet can also occur in pregnant women as a result of temporary changes, due to increased (elasticity) during pregnancy. However, if developed by adulthood, flat feet generally remain flat permanently.
If a youth or adult appears flatfooted while standing in a full weight-bearing position, but an arch appears when the person dorsiflexes (stands on tip-toe or pulls the toes back with the rest of the foot flat on the floor), this condition is called flexible flatfoot. Muscular training of the feet, while generally helpful, will usually not result in increased arch height in adults, because the muscles in the human foot are so short that exercise will generally not make much difference, regardless of the variety or amount of exercise. However, as long as the foot is still growing, there is still a possibility that a lasting arch can be created.
A podiatrist can easily diagnose a flat foot condition during an office visit. An easy and traditional home diagnosis is the "wet foot" test, performed by wetting the feet in water and then standing on a surface such as cement or heavy paper. If the impression that the wet foot leaves does not show a dry area where the arch should be, it is a good indication of flat feet.
Most flexible flat feet are asymptomatic; not painful. In these cases there is no real cause for concern. Rigid flatfoot, a condition where the sole of the foot is rigidly flat even when a person is not standing, can be legitimate cause for concern, however. Other flatfoot-related conditions, such as various forms of coalition (two or more bones in the midfoot or hindfoot abnormally joined) or an accessory (extra bone on the side of the foot) should be treated promptly, usually by the very early teen years, before a child's bone structure firms up permanently as a young adult. Both tarsal coalition and an accessory navicular can be confirmed by .
Treatment of flat feet may also be appropriate if there is associated foot or lower leg pain, or if the condition affects the knees or the back. Treatment may include using arch supports/, or other exercises as recommended by a or other physician. Surgery, while a last resort, can provide lasting relief, and even create an arch where none existed before, but is usually very costly.[citation needed]
Several studies of soldiers explored the link between arch height and stress fractures. One study of 287 Israeli Defense Force recruits found that those with high arches suffered almost four times as many stress fractures as those with the lowest arches. One later study of 449 US naval special warfare trainees found no significant difference in the incidence of stress fractures among soldiers with different arch heights and another was inconclusive.
- Rao, Udaya Bhaskara; Joseph, Benjamin (1992). "The Influence of Footwear on the Prevalence of Flat Foot". The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery 74B (4): 525-527. quoted in
- Jones, Bruce H.; Thacker, Stephen B.; Gilchrist, Julie; Kimsey, Jr., C. Dexter; Sosin, Daniel (2002). "Prevention of Lower Extremity Stress Fractures in Athletes and Soldiers: A Systematic Review". Epidemiologic Reviews 24 (2): 228-247. Available as
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Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
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What is PTTD? The posterior tibial tendon is a fibrous cord that extends from a muscle in the leg. It descends the leg and runs along the inside of the ankle, down the side of the foot, PTTD is often called “adult-acquired flatfoot” because it is the most common type of flatfoot developed during adulthood. Although this condition typically occurs in only one foot, some people may develop it in both feet. PTTD is usually progressive, which means it will keep getting worse—especially if it isn’t treated early. |
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For example:
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What Causes PTTD? |
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In many cases of PTTD, treatment can begin with non-surgical approaches that may include:
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When is Surgery Needed? |
