Everyone is born with flat feet, and some people will never develop healthy arches as they get older. If you have pain from flat feet, you can find help at Gateway Foot and Ankle Center. The experienced podiatry team specializes in comprehensive physical exams and diagnostic testing to ensure your pain relates to flat feet. They also customize a treatment plan using over-the-counter medications, custom orthotics, or surgery when needed to keep you pain-free. Call the office in Clarksville, Nashville, or Erin, Tennessee, or Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to schedule a flat-feet consultation or book an appointment online today.
People with flat feet have arches that aren’t normal when they stand. The arches may never have developed normally, or they may have fallen or collapsed, allowing the soles to lie flat against the ground.
Overuse of your feet during work or sports can weaken or tear the tendons that support your arches, which causes the collapse of your arches.
Other risk factors for flat feet can include:
Flat feet typically don’t cause symptoms. However, some people can develop pain or inflammation in their arches or heels.
You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Gateway Foot and Ankle Center if you have persistent foot pain or swelling in your ankle due to flat feet. You also need an evaluation if fallen arches interfere with your ability to be physically active or cause walking problems.
The podiatry team performs a comprehensive physical exam of your feet and observes how they affect your ability to walk. They may also order X-rays or other diagnostic imaging tests to identify tendon tears and inflammation in your feet or ankles.
Based on your test results, the team designs a treatment plan to ease your symptoms and prevent additional complications.
Your treatment plan for flat feet may initially include over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatories to increase your comfort.
You may need a referral for physical therapy to strengthen the muscles that support your feet. Home exercises can also strengthen your feet and make healthy weight maintenance easier.
Many people benefit from shoe inserts and other types of custom orthotics. Orthotics mold to the contours of your feet to relieve the pain of flat feet and improve your comfort when you stand and walk.
Surgery isn’t usually necessary to address flat feet symptoms. The Gateway Foot and Ankle Center team may suggest surgery if you have severe tendon tears or bone issues that contribute to pain. Surgery won’t cure flat feet but can correct issues to keep you pain-free in the long term.
Call the Gateway Foot and Ankle Center office nearest you to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for flat feet or book an appointment online today.