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You were born with flat feet. So was everyone around you. But for most of us, the tendons in our feet tighten as we grow and, eventually, we develop arches. The arch helps distribute weight along your foot when you walk, run, or jump.
Maybe you never developed an arch. Or maybe you have an acquired condition — commonly called “fallen arches” — due to an accident, excess weight gain, or other trauma or stress to your feet.
Flat feet usually don’t cause symptoms or pain. However, if they do, you should consult a podiatrist to help you tighten and strengthen the tendons and muscles in your feet to create a better alignment and healthier gait. If first-line measures don’t work, you may need surgery to restore or create your arches.
At Advanced Foot & Ankle Center, our board-certified podiatrists are committed to helping you achieve a pain-free gait, whether you’re a walker, a runner, or both. When you come to one of our offices throughout Utah, we evaluate your arches and gait to design a customized treatment plan.
Is surgery the best answer for your fallen arches? Here are a couple of scenarios when it might be.
Surgery should always be a last resort. If you come to us for fallen arches, we may first advise lifestyle changes and supportive treatments to help your feet function better and reduce pain.
Some options include:
Yoga, particularly the downward dog pose that stretches your calf muscles, can also be helpful. You might also get pain relief from massaging the sole of your foot by pressing on and rolling a rubber ball.
The sooner you seek the aid of a podiatrist for your foot pain, the more likely it can be reversed with lifestyle measures. The longer you wait, the more severe the pain, the more difficult it is to correct your flat feet and restore a healthy, pain-free gait.
If you’ve gone through all of the supportive therapies without relief for at least six months, it may be time to consider surgical interventions.
Surgery can reverse the various problems that contribute to painful flat feet, including:
Be sure that you’ve exhausted your other options before turning to surgery. Most insurance companies won’t cover the procedure unless you can document that all other remedies have failed to give you a pain-free and well-aligned gait.
If we confirm that you’re a candidate for corrective surgery, we go over the details of your procedure and what you can expect on the day of surgery, during recovery, and after recovery. To benefit from surgery, you must commit to a rehabilitation program that includes physical therapy to strengthen and stretch your repaired arches.
Before your procedure, you should quit smoking and avoid medications, supplements, and herbs that prevent your blood from clotting. These may include ginkgo biloba, aspirin, and garlic. We give you a full list so you can eliminate them to avoid excessive bleeding and bruising.
Take off from work and give yourself a few rest days, if possible. After anesthesia, you need someone to drive you home, and you may need help with daily household chores.
Full recovery from your procedure may take up to an entire year. For the first week or two, your foot is in a cast and you need to keep it elevated.
For the next 6-8 weeks, expect to wear a removable orthopedic boot and avoid putting your foot on the ground. You can use crutches to help you with mobility.
During your follow-up appointments, we let you know when it’s safe to transition to a normal shoe. You should also be diligent about practicing the exercises and stretches that your physical therapist gives you.
Do your flat feet interfere with your activities of daily living or cause severe pain? Or have you just begun to notice that your feet hurt more often? For a flat feet evaluation and customized treatment plan, call our team nearest you or book your appointment online.
