Flatfoot is one of the most common deformities and is the absence of arch in one or both of the soles of the feet. Most of the time, it does not cause any discomfort and complaints other than the visual change of the foot structure. In rare cases, this condition can cause pain in different parts of the body in some cases, and if it causes significant discomfort, it should be treated.
In healthy people, a curve and a gap is formed in the inward-facing part of the sole of the foot during standing. The gap is due to the upward curvature of the arch of the foot. This condition, which is very common today, can develop later due to genetic factors, traumatic events, wear and tear of the sole of the foot over time, being overweight or using shoes that disrupt the foot structure. In some people, this condition may cause pain and complaints as a result of activities such as standing and walking for a long time.
Flat feet in infants are considered normal. The fact that the arch in the sole of the foot is not yet developed in infants shows this situation. The arch of the foot, which develops during childhood and gains a curved structure over time, gains a normal sole appearance as the person develops and ages. During these periods, some children have a condition called flexible flat feet. When the child sits or walks on tiptoes, the arch of the foot is curved, while the arch disappears during standing and the sole may flatten. This condition usually improves in later periods.
What are the Symptoms of Flatfoot?
Mostly it does not cause any symptoms and people may experience this problem for a long time without being aware of the situation. Following the deterioration of the arch of the foot, the tissues in the musculoskeletal system are damaged and damaged. Depending on this situation, some complaints may occur in the person. The most common flatfoot symptoms are as follows:
- Pain in the sole of the foot and heel
- Swelling and edema of the sole of the foot
- Restriction in foot movements
- Redness of the feet
- Numbness, tingling and numbness
- Pain during standing
- Rapid fatigue and pain during walking
- Deformity of the toes
- Gait changes and deterioration
What are the Causes of Flatfoot?
It is mostly related to the deterioration of the foot arch. Some problems in the muscles and tendons that provide continuity in these arches cause deterioration of the arches and the emergence of this discomfort. In infants and children, it is considered normal to see this condition due to the incomplete development of the arch of the sole of the foot. As the development progresses in later periods, these arches appear as the age progresses.
This condition can be seen due to disorders on the tissues in the feet or due to different reasons. The factors that cause flatfoot and create a risk factor for this condition are as follows:
- Disorders in the foot bones and joints during childhood, causing these areas to develop abnormally and preventing the formation of curvature
- Inability to maintain the shape of the foot due to rupture of the tendons of the foot due to stretching
- Inflammation in the foot muscles, injury and damage to the tendons due to damage
- Disruption of the anatomical structure due to fractures or dislocations in the foot bones
- Some of the inflammatory joint rheumatisms and the emergence of various diseases that can occur in the joints
- Conditions such as being overweight, obesity, where the tendons are overloaded with the increase in body weight
- Increased risk of this condition as a result of the wear and tear of muscles and nerves with diabetes
- The weakening of the tendons in old age and old age and the emergence of this condition
- This discomfort is seen due to the increase in body weight during pregnancy periods
- Injury to tissues as a result of physical and traumatic events can lead to this condition
What are the Types of Flatfoot?
Since foot disorders can occur due to different diseases, there are certain types of this disorder. The types and the different accompanying conditions are as follows:
Flexible Flatfoot: This type, which is mostly encountered, is a condition in which the entire sole of the foot touches the ground during the act of stepping on the ground, while the normal arch is seen when the foot is lifted off the ground. This condition, which is common in childhood, does not cause pain or complaints.
Tight Achilles Tendon: Achilles tendon is the tendon that connects the heel bone to the calf muscle. Some problems can be seen if it is more tight than normal. The person may feel pain in the heel while walking and may cause flattening of the arch of the foot.
Posterior Tibial Tendon Problems: This tendon, which is located between the muscles in the calf, provides the formation of the arch in the inner part of the foot. This condition can occur if this tendon is damaged for different reasons and health problems.
How is flatfoot treated?
Since the underlying cause of this condition is the deterioration of the arch of the foot and damage to the tendons, the foot is first supported and the tissues are tried to be protected in the treatment. For this reason, patients are fitted with orthopedic orthoses and appropriate insoles are recommended for shoes. It is also beneficial to prefer shoes produced for these disorders.
There are some measures that the person can take to prevent the symptoms that occur due to this problem in daily life. In this context, if the person has too much weight; he/she should reach his/her ideal weight, eat a healthy and balanced diet, exercise regularly and strengthen the foot muscles. They should not stand for long periods of time and should avoid very heavy exercise movements.
There are medication treatments to prevent foot pain and complaints. In this context; painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs and gels or ointments applied on the foot can be used. In cases related to diabetes and joint diseases, different treatment plans should be made.
In cases where drug therapy and different treatment applications do not help, surgical intervention can be performed and damaged tissues can be repaired with the doctor's decision in cases where the patient has too many complaints and discomfort. In disorders related to the Achilles tendon, the symptoms disappear with the intervention performed on this area.