There are many, many different types of flat
foot.
Other common terms
-
Pronated foot
-
Collapsed foot
Who does it affect?
Flat foot can affect people of any age and the
condition is equally distributed between sexes. There are many different
causes of flat foot ranging from congenital, tendon weakness, coalition
(joining of bones in the mid foot), tight heel cord, neuro-muscular
problems and arthritis.
Symptoms
Often people have a flat foot deformity without
experiencing any symptoms what so ever in the early stages. However,
very often flat foot during its developmental stage can be painful with
pain in the arch of the foot and also pain up the inside of the ankle
into the leg.
Investigations
X-rays are very often needed to assess the exact
alignment of the bones in the foot and to check for any abnormalities.
In advanced cases CT or MRI scans may be needed.
Treatment
Early treatment is strongly recommended. If flat
foot is treated very early conservative treatment is usually all that is
required by way of special insoles in shoes. If the flat foot is allowed
to develop then the bony architecture is changed significantly and or
arthritic change develops and surgical intervention is sometimes
required to correct the arch, repair tendons i.e. flat foot
reconstruction.
Please note that early treatment is recommended
particularly in children as flat foot deformity can contribute to
problems in other joints such as knee, hip and back. |