When someone acquires flat feet later in life, it's often an issue with the posterior tibial tendon-the tendon that wraps around the inside of the ankle and connects to the inside of the foot, she explains. Julia Sinclair, DPM, another podiatrist at Performance Podiatry Partners, including arthritis, pregnancy, aging, and injury (think: multiple fractures and sprains). In many cases, someone might have anatomically flat feet, which is rooted in genetics and how the foot forms, says Derek Roach, owner of Flow Feet Orthopedic Shoes.Ĭonversely, a person may have gone through life changes that caused flat feet, says Dr. There are several reasons why someone might have flat feet, but they generally fall into one of two categories. 'And that support, or lack of support of the arch, is basically what contributes to flat footed-ness.' How does someone get flat feet? 'What flat foot really relates to is the relationships of the bone in the foot, as well as the function of the tendons that surround those bones,' she explains. Supna Reilly, DPM, a podiatrist at Performance Podiatry Partners in Chicago.

Most of the time, no medical treatment is required-just proper footwear.Īnd it's relatively easy to self-diagnose: 'When you stand on the floor, if you have no space or little space between the inside of your foot and the floor-that’s a flat foot,' says Dr.

And, if you also happen to have flat feet, making sure your sneakers provide the necessary arch support to keep your body stable and prevent injury while you rack up those miles is even more important.Ī relatively common condition, according to the NHS, flat footed-ness is defined by lacking an arch in one or both of your feet. If you're a runner, a good pair of shoes is the best workout buddy you can have.

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