Flat feet can cause several issues with your feet if you are not careful. Those who do not wear the proper shoes and make sure that they work on arch support and other options for their feet will find that the flat foot condition can get worse.
Wearing improper or ill-fitting shoes can lead to a few other issues as well, such as overpronation. Your feet are designed to work in a certain way and help you move throughout life without falling or running into issues with alignment.
Once the body gets out of alignment, you may find that it is hard to avoid pain and discomfort along the way. If you have issues with flat feet, you may wonder whether they will cause your overpronation issues.
What is Overpronation?
The first thing that we will take a look at is the condition known as overpronation. Overpronation is a condition where the foot does not take the proper step when you are walking or running like normal.
In this case, overpronation means that the foot will start to roll inward while you are moving and walking around. If you overpronate, this means that you allow the outer edge of the heel to hit the ground first, and then the foot will roll onto the arch, rather than going in the direction that it should.
As your arch starts to stretch and flatten over time because of this improper manner of walking, all of the parts of the foot will start to feel strained. You could have more injuries including
- Plantar fasciitis
- Heel spurs
- Achilles tendonitis
- Shin splints
- Ankle sprains
It is important to learn to recognize whether you overpronate or not so that you can look and see if there are any treatments available to you. A good place to start is to look at the bottom of your shoes to see whether there is wear and tear.
If you see that a lot of the wear is found on the sole near the ball of the foot near your big toe, then you overpronate. You can also look at your feet and see whether you have a low arch or if your foot is flatter. This is another sign that you are dealing with that condition as well.
You may have some symptoms as well including
- Hammer’s toes
- Pain in the back, hip, or knee.
- Calluses or corns
- Flat feet
- Arch or heel pain
If you suspect that you are overpronation, then it is time to talk to your doctor to see whether they have a good treatment for you.
Do Flat Feet Cause Overpronation?
Flat feet can start causing issues with overpronation if the condition gets bad enough. It is important to remember that many people will suffer from overpronation and never run into a single problem at all or have to worry about symptoms either.
Those patients who have flat feet will often notice that it is associated with excessive pronation of the foot. In some cases, the flat foot condition can cause pain and a weakening of the arch that will lead to overpronation.
Overpronation is going to occur when the arch starts to go down and when you hit the ground during normal walking and running. Not all patients with flat feet are going to overpronate, but it is a tendency for this condition as well.
Since flat feet are going to overpronate, they are less able to absorb shock, placing a good deal of stress on the knees, ankles, and feet when you do normal activities, which can start to cause some pain as well. Overpronation will cause an excessive amount of rotation to the tibia, which can increase your risk of shin splints as well if you are not careful.
The inward tilt that happens with flat feet and overpronation can put even more strain on the tendons and ligaments of your lower body as well. Achilles tendinitis, which is simply the inflammation of the Achilles tendon, and knee pain are going to be some of the common consequences.
While you can have flat feet without dealing with the condition of overpronation, it is hard to have overpronation without some issues with the arch in the foot. Your arch is meant to support proper posture in your foot and keep it from getting out of alignment. But when the arches start to fall a bit, then it can cause some issues.
Would Orthotics Help Flat Feet with Overpronation?
Whether you are trying to fix the issue that comes with overpronation or you are worried about the long-term effects of flat feet, you will need to find the right treatment that will help this condition. Both of these can turn into serious conditions of the feet and lower body, causing a lot of pain and suffering with you being out of alignment.
One solution that you can consider is a pair of custom orthotics. These can be designed to the exact issue of your foot, allowing you to have all of the comfort and support that you need along the way.
You will find that there are several ways a pair of orthotics will be able to help when you are dealing with overpronation and flat feet including
- Provide additional arch support: When you have flat feet that turn into overpronation, you will find that additional arch support can be critical to the health and happiness of your feet. Custom orthotics allow you to choose the amount of arch in the foot so that it is perfect for providing you relief.
- Heel cup: A good heel cup at the back of the orthotic will help to keep the foot in place. Since overpronation tends to allow the foot to move improperly, that heel cup and other supportive features will ensure that the foot will stay put when you walk around.
- Extra cushioning: if your feet are sore and uncomfortable from flat foot syndrome or from all the pressure you put on the wrong parts while walking, then you can create a custom orthotic that can handle this and keep your foot comfortable.
If you are worried about the amount of overpronation that you have or your flat feet are starting to cause some issues, then you should talk to your doctor to see whether a pair of custom orthotics will be the best option for your needs.
Treating Flat Feet and Overpronation
Flat feet and overpronation can end up causing a lot of problems to your body if you are not careful. Finding the right solution and an effective treatment plan will be the best way to work on your feet and ensure that you no longer feel the pain and discomfort that you did before help.
No matter which of these conditions you are suffering from, give us a call or leave your information. Our team of professionals will be able to determine whether a pair of custom orthotics can provide you with some of the relief that you need.