Don't Ignore Flat Feet

Treatment and prevention of adult flatfoot can reduce the incidence of additional foot problems such as bunions, hammertoes, arthritis and calluses, and improve a person’s overall health, according to research published in an issue of the Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery.

Overweight males in white-collar jobs are most apt to suffer from adult flatfoot disorder, a progressive condition characterized by partial or total collapse of the arch, according to the research. FootHealthFacts.org, the consumer website of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, notes that symptoms of adult flatfoot include pain, swelling, flattening of the arch and an inward rolling of the ankle. But because flatfoot is a progressive disorder by nature, the study suggests that neglecting treatment or preventive care can lead to arthritis, loss of function of the foot and other painful foot disorders.

Flatfoot disorder may gradually worsen to the point that many of the tendons and ligaments in the foot and ankle are simply overworking, often to the point where they tear and/or rupture.

In many cases, flatfoot can be treated with non-surgical approaches including orthotic devices or bracing, immobilization, physical therapy, medication and shoe modifications. In some patients whose pain is not adequately relieved by conservative treatments, there are a variety of surgical techniques available to correct flatfoot and improve foot function.

As in most progressive foot disorders, early treatment for flatfoot disorder is also the patient’s best route for optimal success in controlling symptoms and additional damage to the feet. The goal is to keep patients active, healthy and as pain free as possible.

For additional information on adult flatfoot or other foot conditions, visit the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons’ health information website at FootHealthFacts.org.

Author

Kevin D. Myer DPM, FACFAS Dr. Myer is a Podiatric Foot & Ankle Surgeon, Board-Certified in Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Surgery by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. A native of Carrollton, Texas, Dr. Myer has been practicing in the North Dallas area since 2007. Voted by his medical peers as a "Top Doc" in the City of Dallas and Collin County annually since 2013, Dr. Myer strives to keep all of his patients in the game and off the sidelines of life through both conservative and surgical means when necessary. Dr. Myer is happily married to Lainie (going on 25+ years...) with whom he proudly parents three boys, Cade, Brennan, and Grayson. On the weekends, you might find Dr. Myer attending one of his boys athletic events or behind a camera capturing any number of available subjects.