# Flat Foot

- Link: https://carolinaona.com/flat-foot/
- Published: 2023-04-14T02:07:20-04:00
- Author: Dallas Clifton

## Flat Foot

# Flat Foot Treatment in Spartanburg, Duncan, and Greenville, SC

 [Contact Us](https://carolinaona.com/contact-locations/)

### What is Flat Foot?

Flatfeet, also called flatfoot, is a common condition in which the arches on the
inside of the feet flatten out when they are put under pressure. When people with
flatfeet stand up, their feet point outward and their whole soles touch the floor.

Flatfeet can happen if the arches don’t form when a child is young. It can also 
happen later in life because of an accident or just normal wear and tear.

## **Flat Foot Symptoms**

Most people with flatfeet don’t have any signs or symptoms. But some people with
flat feet have pain in the heel or arch of their foot. Pain may get worse when you
do things. On the inside of the foot, there may be swelling.

## **What Causes Flatfeet?**

Flatfeet are common in babies and young children because their feet don’t have arches
yet. Most people get arches as they grow up, but some people never get arches. People
without arches might have problems or they might not.

Some children have flexible flatfeet, which is when the arch is noticeable when 
the child is sitting or standing on their toes but disappears when the child stands.
Most kids grow out of flexible flatfeet on their own.

The problem can also happen to people who don’t have flatfeet. When an arch gets
hurt, it can fall quickly. Or, the building can fall apart slowly over time. Over
time, the muscle that runs along the inside of the ankle and helps support the arch
can weaken or tear. As the pain gets worse, arthritis may start to show up in the
foot.

## **Flat Foot Treatment**

Most of the time, flatfeet don’t hurt. If you aren’t in pain, you don’t need treatment.
But if your flatfeet hurt and stop you from doing the things you want to do, you
may want to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic specialist.

For painful feet, nonsurgical treatments may include:

 * **Arch supports –** Pain from flat feet can be helped by arch supports that don’t
   need a prescription. Some doctors suggest arch supports that are made to fit 
   the shape of the foot. Arch supports won’t fix flatfeet, but they often help 
   ease the pain
 * **Stretching exercises –** Some people who have flatfeet also have an Achilles
   tendon that is too short. Stretching exercises for this tendon could help
 * **[Physical therapy](https://carolinaona.com/physical-therapy/) –** Some runners
   may get overuse injuries because they have flatfeet. A physical therapist can
   give you routines to strengthen the muscles and tendons in your feet, as well
   as advice on how to walk better
 * **Surgery –** [Foot surgery](https://carolinaona.com/orthopedic-foot-ankle-surgery/)
   is not always done to fix flatfeet. Surgery may be a choice for people who have
   tried nonsurgical treatments but still can’t do the things they want to do because
   of pain. Surgery can be done to help repair the issues with the bones and tendons
   that are causing the pain

## **Flatfeet Care in South Carolina**

Here at CONA, our physicians are ready to help you get back to your daily activities
pain-free. Reach out to us and [request an appointment](https://carolinaona.com/appointment-request-form/)
at any of our locations.