The relevance of the problem of flat feet in people is great due to the prevalence of the disease. With flat feet, the entire body suffers, and primarily the joints of the lower extremities, the spine and the brain. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the prevention and treatment of flat feet.
Mandatory methods for treating flat feet are physical therapy, massage of the feet, legs and back, as well as orthopedic insoles and orthopedic shoes.
Flat feet can be longitudinal, transverse or mixed. Let's see what differences they have.
Flattening of the transverse arch of the foot. The foot looks wide, and visible gaps appear between the toes that normally should not exist. In this case, the veins and nerve endings of the feet suffer, as they are compressed when walking or standing. The veins in the feet may be dilated, which is associated with impaired venous outflow due to compression of the veins from the side of the sole with a flat foot. Excess weight, carrying heavy objects and standing work create additional negative effects on the feet.
Exercises for transverse flatfoot : we use all possible movements of the foot with the exception of spreading the toes (abduction from the midline passing through the third finger).
Degrees of longitudinal flatfoot.
Flattening of the longitudinal arch of the foot: the foot is narrow, walking mainly on the inside of the feet, shoes “bevel” inward, heels wear out on the inside of the feet. Exercises for longitudinal flat feet : we use all possible movements of the feet with the exception of pronation of the feet (you cannot place the foot on the inner arch).
Combination of transverse and longitudinal flatfoot.
Check out those cake-like feet!
The spring function is lost. The body, protecting the brain from shocks when walking, running and jumping, compensatory increases kyphosis of the thoracic spine. The deepened curve in the thoracic region, and then the lordosis of the lumbar region, compensatoryly creates a spring effect to increase the shock absorption of the brain. Stooping occurs, and then kyphotic scoliosis. This is one of the complications of flat feet.
There are complaints of pain and fatigue in the feet and legs, in the lower back, headache, and general fatigue. Pain when pressing on the middle of the sole. Callus of the skin of the sole over the heads of the metatarsal bones. Deformation of the fingers appears. Cramps in legs at night. Performance is reduced.
The set of exercises for mixed type flat feet does not include exercises with spreading the toes to the sides and placing the feet on the inner arch.
Foot massage for flat feet.
The reason for contacting an orthopedic doctor is shoes that have worn down inside; there may be rapid fatigue when walking, pain and fatigue in the legs, back, or headache.
For physical therapy for flat feet, you will need a mat, a chair, foot massagers (simple, without automatic vibration), medium-sized smooth stones, a wooden block 10 - 15 cm high. It is advisable to have a wall bars.
Self-massage of feet and legs.
I recommend using Malavtilin cream.
Warm up your hands by rubbing your palms together. The massage is performed along the flow of venous blood from the limb (from the foot to the knee joint).
First, let's massage the back of the lower leg.
And massage the front - lateral (side) surface of the lower leg.
(stroking, rubbing, kneading).
Achilles tendon massage with forceps
stroking and spiral kneading.
Massage of the anterior surface of the ankle joint is performed on the back of the foot from the tips of the toes to the middle of the shin.
From bottom to top, stroking the entire surface of the palm and spiral kneading with the thumb of the hand and the palm, on which the other palm rests on top.
After this, passive movements in the ankle joint
(flexion and extension, clockwise and counterclockwise rotation).
Passive flexion of the foot.
Passive extension of the foot.
Massage the sole from the base of the toes to the heel
(stroking, rubbing, pressing).
Massage the big toe and then all
the remaining fingers from the tips of the toes to the foot.
Finish with a general stroking of the feet and legs with the palms.
2. Exercise “Worms”. Sitting on a chair, support your hands behind you, legs together, feet on the floor.
1 – Stretch your toes forward as far as possible and press your toes to the floor.
2 – Raise your heels and try to pull them as close to your toes as possible, pressing your heels to the floor. The result was an arched position of the feet.
"Worms." Ref. position.
Stretch your toes forward, stretching your feet.
Now the toes rest on the floor and the heels move closer to them.
We continue to move our feet forward along the floor in this way, then back : first, the heels are pulled back (towards the chair), then the toes try to get as close to the heels as possible.
Try to control the position of your feet by keeping them on the outside of your soles. Repeat until you feel tired.
3. Roll the massage balls with your feet forward, backward and in a circle.
5. Sitting on a chair or standing, holding onto a support
rolling from heel to toe on a massager.
You can use any foot massager,
except automatic ones with vibration.
6. Sitting on a chair. Support your hands from behind.
1 – Shorten the longitudinal arch of the feet, while simultaneously squeezing the muscles of the buttocks to increase muscle tension. Inhale.
2 – Relax your muscles. Exhalation.
Once! Tension in the gluteal muscles and arches of the feet.
7. “Rotation of the foot.” Sitting on a chair, place your right leg on your left (knee on knee).
Place your hands in a “lock” on your right knee to limit the movement of your right shin.
1, 2, 3, 4 - Rotate the right foot clockwise.
5, 6, 7, 8 – Counterclockwise rotation. arrows.
Repeat until the working muscles become tired.
Same with the other leg. (For high-quality execution, imagine a circle the size of a plate near your foot and trace the outline of an imaginary plate with your big toe). One way and the other.
8. Sitting on a chair, legs together, hands on your belt.
1 – Straighten your right leg to the side and place it on your toes (inhale).
2 – Place your right leg on your left (exhale).
3 – Take your right leg to the side again on your toes (inhale).
4 – Return to original. position (exhalation).
Same with the left foot.
While sitting on a chair, move your feet to the sides from heel to toe.
Then go back in reverse order.
Now count “1, 2, 3, 4!” repeat in reverse order.
10. “Big circles.” Sitting on a chair, support your hands behind you, bringing the soles of your feet together.
Draw circles with your feet connected, first “away from you,” then in the opposite direction.
11. Sitting on a chair, support your hands behind you, legs together.
1 – Sliding your foot along the floor, move your right leg to the side and place your foot behind the front leg of the chair.
2 – Return to starting position.
3 - Sliding your foot along the floor, move your left leg to the side and place your foot behind the front leg of the chair.
4 - Return to starting position. 4 times.
12. “Up to the chair leg.”
Sitting on a chair, hands on your belt, feet shoulder-width apart.
1 – Sliding your right foot along the floor, reach the back left leg of the chair (the foot rests on the back side). 2 – Return to starting position.
3 - Sliding your left foot along the floor, reach the back right leg of the chair, placing your foot on the back side. 4 - Return to starting position.
13. "Squares". Sitting on a chair, support your hands behind you, legs together.
1 – Straighten your legs, sliding your feet forward along the floor.
2 – Sliding along the floor, spread your legs to the sides.
3 – Sliding along the floor, bring your feet to the legs of the chair.
4 – Connect your legs bent at the knees together (starting position). 4 - 6 times.
14. Sitting on a chair, a stick in your hands behind your back, legs together.
1 – Lower the stick forward and place your right foot on it.
2 - Return to original. position.
3 – Same with the left foot.
4 - Return to original. position. 4 times.
15. Stand with your feet on a block 10-15 cm high so that your heel hangs down.
Rise up and down on your toes, trying to touch your heel to the floor.
You need to hold onto, for example, the crossbar of a wall bars. Until you get tired.
Sitting on the floor, place a pencil between the first and second toes of your right foot.
Draw circles in both directions on a piece of paper.
Then do the same with your left foot.
17. "Airplane". Isotonic exercise for posture.
Lying on your stomach, legs tightly closed, stretch with your toes. 1 – Raise your head and upper shoulder girdle as high as possible, spread your arms to the sides so that the shoulder blades are connected, at the same time raise your straightened and tightly closed legs (stretch the spine). Hold this position for 1 to 3 minutes. Breathing is voluntary. 2 – Return to original. position. Execute once.
18. Exercise with stretching a rubber band.
Starting position: sitting on the floor, arms supported at the back, legs straightened as much as possible, feet in a supinated position (plantar parts facing each other). There is a wide elastic band on the shin.
1 - Spread your legs, stretching the elastic band as much as possible, while your feet try to maintain a supinated position.
2 - Return to starting position.
Until the leg muscles become tired.
19. “Open - close.”
Ref. lying on your back, legs shoulder-width apart, feet turned inward,
arms along the body with palms down (pronation of hands and feet).
1 – Supination of the feet and hands (spread the feet out to the sides as much as possible, trying to reach the floor with the outer sides, turn the hands with the palms up (inhale).
2 – Return to original. position – pronation (exhalation). 6 times.
Once! Spread your feet as far apart as possible and “open” your hands. Inhale.
Two! “Close.” Exhalation.
19. It is recommended to ride an exercise bike barefoot and swim..
I recommend reading the article “Foot Defects” about exercise therapy for flat feet, club feet, and bunions.
On your path to health, I wish you hard work, constancy, perseverance and joy from doing therapeutic exercises for flat feet . Improvement will definitely come. And, of course, the risk of complications from flat feet .
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Dear Nina! thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are a kind and positive person! Only from you I found a set of exercises for FREE and, most importantly, KIND words “IMPROVEMENT will definitely come.” How you lifted my spirits. Everywhere there is only commerce, they only invite you to their place for treatment for a lot of money. Thank you
Hello dear Nina. I am very grateful to you for the competent, rich information and for the set of exercises on the problems of flat feet. I was surprised to learn from Prof. Bubnovsky’s program that wearing orthopedic insoles leads to problems in the knee joints. Which is exactly what happened to me. Wearing insoles made to order at an orthopedic shoe factory for 9 thousand rubles, with longitudinal-transverse flat feet, led to pain in the knee and hip joints. And the problem of X-shaped legs arose, as a consequence of flat feet. Please publish gymnastics for correcting X-shaped legs.
Hello Nina. Thank you for your comment and your interest in the topic of the site. I will publish the article at your request, it will take me a few days. Wearing insoles for flat feet is simply necessary, I will check the information about the dangers of wearing insoles, this cannot be true. I believe that your musculoskeletal system has been corrected. There is probably scoliosis or severe postural disturbance with incorrect pelvic position. The presence of excess weight is of great importance (if there is, then you need to pay attention to this and normalize the weight). So, don't stop wearing custom insoles.
Normalize your body weight and spend time on posture exercises (“Boat” and “Airplane” - 1 minute daily without rest) - this is necessary to evenly distribute the load on the joints and spine.
Dear Nina Petrova, thank you SO MUCH for the EXCELLENT selection of exercises for flat feet and, most importantly, FREE and CLEAR! Thanks again.
Good afternoon. Please tell me, what should I do if the kyphosis of the thoracic spine has already increased? severe scoliosis. And it’s uncomfortable in any shoes except sneakers with gel (Asics). I wear custom insoles, but in the evening my foot still hurts.
Dear Nina Petrovna, I am very grateful to you for the explanations accessible to the common man and the excellent accessible complex. The fact is that I am 68 years old. Over the last two years, gonoarthrosis of the knees has appeared. . I have been doing physical activity all my life: jogging in the morning, hardening, yoga, wushu, qigong, 10 years of raw food diet. Now, as they say with age), although I don’t agree, my knees hurt. You, the orthopedist told me, were overloaded, etc. used their reserves ahead of time. So, after all, I didn’t take records, but everything for the soul, in moderation, in my free time from work. Strange, but true. Now it’s even forbidden to walk with chopsticks, because... knee pain. I started taking chondroprotectors and doing gentle exercises for my joints, very gentle. And then the orthopedist said that I have transverse-longitudinal flatfoot. Perhaps, I won’t argue that this is what causes arthrosis. And also my grandmother and mother walked towards old age as “ducks”, i.e. and - hereditary. So I’m ready to accept everything and carry it out. Your complex is partially familiar to me, because... included in my exercises. But I’ll add everything. The question is which insoles to choose and how not to make a mistake when choosing them in medical equipment. There is no question of ordering - we are Russian pensioners, honestly, we have no time for that. Thank you again and again. With respect, Nadezhda.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS! BUT I READ THAT WEARING AROUND SUPINators CAUSES JOINT DISEASE. IS IT A CLOSED CIRCLE? I HOPE THAT THE EXERCISES WILL HELP YOU DO WITHOUT SURGERY. BUT WHAT TO DO WITH SPECIAL FOOTWEAR? SO IT IS NOT NEEDED?
Gymnastics for the feet for transverse flat feet is perhaps the best treatment method. But before we begin to describe the exercises, it is necessary to clarify what the foot consists of. First of all, it contains many small elements (bones) that are connected to each other. This happens with the help of ligaments and muscles. Characteristic elastic arches are formed from bones: transverse and longitudinal. They play a major role in movement.
In a normal state, when walking, the inside of the leg does not touch the surface on which they are walking. The inner arch of the foot is responsible for this. If the ligaments and muscles responsible for supporting the foot become overstrained, or if there is a hereditary weakness, the foot becomes flat and the arch drops. This pathology, in turn, is divided into 2 types: transverse and longitudinal flatfoot.
Transverse flatfoot often occurs between the ages of 35 and 50 years. In this case, an important role is played by the person’s weight and the load on the foot. That is, the greater the weight and load, the more pronounced the flat feet. In women, this pathology is observed much more often than in males. In addition, in this case, parallel to the transverse one, longitudinal flatfoot can develop. This phenomenon is most common between the ages of 20 and 30.
Considering the symptoms of transverse flatfoot in children, we can note:
With this form of flatfoot, the transverse arch is flattened, and the pressure is distributed over all the metatarsal bones.
In addition, the length of the foot is slightly reduced due to the fan-shaped divergence of the toes and metatarsals. Changes also apply to the central fingers.
Pathology can be diagnosed by the expanded anterior section. In this case, the load is distributed over the entire area of the foot, and not on the 1st and 5th metatarsal bones.
The consequence of flat feet is the distribution of the load on the 2nd and 4th joints, in turn, it decreases by 1.
In addition, muscle function also changes. First of all, this concerns 1 toe. Thus, it is deflected to the inside. As a result, the head of the 1st metatarsal bone and the 1st toe to the 2nd begins to bulge, which starts the process of deformation.
Transverse flatfoot can be directly related to prolonged standing. This happens especially often if you are overweight. Therefore, it often begins to develop in pregnant women.
The cause is a decrease in muscle tone and elasticity. In turn, loss of tone occurs with a sedentary lifestyle. In women, the pathology is expressed when walking in heels. The main cause of deformation is insufficiency of the ligamentous apparatus.
Due to the fact that the lion's share of the load falls on the forefoot, the skin in this area thickens, then corns and dry calluses appear. If transverse flatfoot develops over a fairly long period of time, the big toe deviates from its usual position. In this case, pain appears if pressure is applied to 1 metatarsal bone. Very often this happens when wearing uncomfortable shoes or choosing the wrong size.
In addition, redness and swelling may occur, and the cartilage may grow and bulge away from the toes, making it difficult to choose shoes.
Often the pathology causes the development of osteoarthritis in the area of the main phalanx of the 1st finger and metatarsal bone. First of all, mobility decreases and is accompanied by pain. At the same time, the remaining fingers are also deformed. Articular subluxations appear between the main phalanges and the heads of the metatarsal bones. The main load is placed on the middle fingers and they acquire a hammer-like shape.
This deformation of the toes is often a source of pain. In this case, wearing standard shoes becomes impossible. Very often, the choice of orthopedic shoes does not solve the problem either. And subsequently, immobilization is observed, psycho-emotional balance is disturbed, irritability appears, and movement is difficult. As a result, work and household activities are reduced.
For flat feet, it is recommended to perform a set of exercises:
Some exercises for transverse flatfoot are performed in a sitting position.
In this case, a chair is used, and the legs are bent at the knees. The feet should be parallel:
Exercise therapy is performed in a standing position:
For adults, it is recommended to perform all exercises 10 or 12 times, while children need to reduce the load by half.
In addition to the above exercises, you need to walk:
Of course, it is best to take appropriate measures and prevent the development of the disease. It is recommended to perform special exercises from childhood. In this way, not only treatment is carried out, but also prevention.
Pathology, when the longitudinal or transverse arch of the foot drops and becomes flattened, affects more than 50% of the adult population. Such a violation of the anatomically correct structure of the leg is called flat feet.
When prescribing a treatment package, one should take into account how severe the foot deformity has progressed. In later stages of the disease, surgery may be necessary.
At the initial stages, in addition to the use of orthopedic insoles and inserts, well-chosen exercises aimed at strengthening the ligamentous apparatus and muscles of the foot are indispensable. Exercise therapy, i.e. therapeutic physical culture, makes the likelihood of healing extremely high. But for this it is necessary that the classes be regular and systematic, otherwise there will be no effect.
All exercises should be performed with your shoes off. The results will be visible after six months of regular exercise, and the progression of flattening will stop. Exercise therapy is recommended for any degree of flat feet.
Movements that are performed while standing:
Movements that are performed while sitting on the edge of a chair with feet parallel:
Movements to do while lying on your back:
Exercises with a stick:
There are diseases that are easier to prevent than to cure, and these include flat feet. The occurrence of this pathology in a child is most often due to the fact that his bones are not strong, and his muscles and ligaments are still weak. Therefore, treatment is aimed specifically at strengthening the ligamentous and muscular apparatus.
If a child has prerequisites for flat feet or has an initial stage of the disease, you should pay attention to the following exercises:
Massage has an excellent healing effect. It increases muscle tone and normalizes blood circulation, reduces pain and fatigue in the feet.
It is necessary to massage not only the foot, but also massage the entire leg. Massaging can be done both before and after gymnastics. Light self-massage can be done at home on your own.
The main position for self-massage is a bent leg resting on the edge of a chair.
When faced with a diagnosis of flat feet, you should not let the disease take its course. Regular exercise therapy and massage will help you on your way to achieving health. A set of exercises should be selected individually on the recommendation of an orthopedist.
The widespread prevalence of longitudinal and transverse flatfoot in children, as well as adults, in our time will not surprise anyone. Therefore, flat feet must be actively combated, since changes in the feet can further harm the person’s musculoskeletal system completely. In this case, gymnastics can help with flat feet in children. Children's arches are formed before the age of three, so you should actively take care of your child's feet.
Indeed, due to deformation of the feet, the supporting function of the body decreases, and the child’s posture is deformed.
It is possible to accurately diagnose flat feet (longitudinal or transverse) in a child only when he is 5-6 years old. This is due to the fact that the child’s bone apparatus has not yet become stronger until a certain period. The hollow arch of a small child's foot is filled with soft fatty tissue, masking the bony base of the feet, causing the soles of the feet to appear flat.
You can determine flat feet in this way: lubricate your child’s feet with ordinary vegetable oil or watercolor paints, or any other fatty liquid, carefully place your son or daughter on a sheet of white paper, distracting him with something for a short time. Then carefully remove it from there and carefully examine the resulting prints. If the imprint turns out to be in the shape of a “bean”, then this is good, but if the imprint is completely imprinted, without indentations, then it is necessary to urgently contact a special orthopedic doctor.
If the doctor has diagnosed your baby with flat feet, then specialized physical therapy will help out, one of the main areas of which is gymnastics for children.
Therapeutic gymnastics will help improve blood circulation in children's feet, strengthen ligaments, train muscles (which support the arch), reduce pain, as well as inflammation of the feet.
Flat feet can be effectively combated by doing special gymnastics. After a few months of procedures, my son began to notice improvements. You just shouldn’t give up gymnastics; be sure to do general strengthening exercises for your entire body every day. Gymnastics for flat feet can be taught to a child of any age. It is better for young children to present gymnastics in the form of a game, so it will be more interesting for them to exercise. But a student can try to do everything on his own, but under the control of his parents.
An individual set of tasks for gymnastics for transverse and longitudinal flat feet can be obtained from an orthopedic doctor.
For transverse flatfoot, doctors recommend performing the following exercises:
Such therapeutic exercises during the treatment of transverse flatfoot in children will help keep the muscles toned. If you do this gymnastics regularly, it is possible to stop the development of the pathological process of transverse deformation of the legs.
If this type of deformation occurs, gymnastics should be performed:
In addition, when treating a child’s flat feet, you need to include walking on the ground, soft stones, pebbles or special massage mats; steps on a ladder lying on the floor will be useful.
In order for the treatment of flat feet in children with the help of gymnastics to be effective, it is more useful to adhere to several rules. It is not necessary to implement everything in one lesson; it is better to start gymnastics with 5-7 tasks, and later add one at a time. Before starting gymnastics classes, you should make sure that the baby doesn’t mind doing it; you don’t need to force it if he doesn’t want to. After 5-6 minutes, allow to rest; the exercises should last approximately 15-20 minutes.
Experts recommend that after sleep the baby warms up and does gymnastics: straightens and bends his fingers, raises his legs, makes circular movements with them clockwise and counterclockwise. It will be more convenient for children to do gymnastics barefoot in loose, comfortable clothes. Gymnastics for flat feet in children should be carried out regularly, in parallel with general strengthening physical education. It is necessary to understand that children's flat feet can progress if no measures are taken. Children's flat feet do not develop so quickly, so parents should periodically examine the feet of their beloved children, both independently and specifically consult with an experienced doctor.
Longitudinal flat feet, for which gymnastics gives very successful results, cannot be ignored.
Many people who have suffered from flat feet since childhood do not consider it necessary to treat this disease, thereby starting it at the level of the first degree, which gradually worsens and develops into more complex degrees of foot deformation, when treatment becomes difficult. Advanced forms of flat feet can only be corrected surgically.
A fairly common ailment that occurs in people of different ages, social status, and gender, manifested in foot deformities, is called flat feet. Flat feet come in three degrees and several types.
In the first degree, the foot has a minor cosmetic defect; the gait of such a patient is not noticeably distorted. At this stage, it is necessary to take urgent measures to cure flat feet so that it does not develop into a more complicated form - the second stage.
Flat feet can be congenital or acquired. It is easy to diagnose. A doctor can usually, by looking at a patient’s feet, immediately determine the degree and type of flatfoot.
There are several reasons for acquired flat feet:
Longitudinal flatfoot occurs most often in young, overweight women. It is expressed in a decrease in the height of the longitudinal inner arch of the foot. As the bones of the foot move, this disease changes the appearance of the foot and significantly alters the gait. Walking is difficult, a person makes great efforts when moving, which causes complications on the spinal column and pelvic bones.
The disease begins with certain symptoms that you should pay close attention to:
In the first stages of the disease, when the foot is still susceptible to physical exercise, some exercises for longitudinal flat feet are very effective.
Massage gives good results. You can do it yourself. In the evening, the leg should rest. If at the end of the working day you feel very tired legs, tension in the lower leg muscles, then you simply need to rest in a lying position with your legs extended, which will be slightly higher than the general position of the torso.
Water procedures for tired feet will also be useful. You can add a few drops of essential oils of eucalyptus, chamomile, fir, cedar, sandalwood, and tea tree to a hot water bath. Steam your feet until the water cools. Wipe dry and take a lying position. Essential oils will improve blood circulation in the soft tissues of tired feet and have a beneficial effect on joints.
For severe foot deformities, orthopedic insoles should be worn in everyday shoes. Insoles with magnets are also good.
As we see, flat feet are a very insidious ailment that develops in cases where it is not congenital, very secretive and sedate. That is why everyone should understand how important it is to prevent this disease at any age.
Firstly, no one should take this disease lightly; it actually has dire consequences for the body of those who develop it. Often neglected flat feet entail deep problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as diseases such as scoliosis, intervertebral hernias, disorders of the ligamentous-tendon apparatus, arthrosis, arthritis, rheumatism.
Secondly, when the first signs of the disease appear, you must immediately seek help from a specialist. Do not ignore doctor's orders, even if they seem inappropriate. A set of exercises from gymnastics, common for flat feet, is quite effective and accessible.
Feet should not rot, socks should be worn only from natural fabrics, changing them daily, shoes should not squeeze the toes and instep. Children should be taught from an early age to foot hygiene and choosing the right shoes; you should not buy your child sneakers, sneakers, moccasins, shoes without heels or small fittings for daily wear. In schools, children are regularly checked for flat feet. In cases of its congenital origin, sometimes it is necessary to resort to even surgical intervention.
During the day, no matter how distracted we are by everyday worries, we always need to find time to walk barefoot on the floor on tiptoes. If your legs are tired, you need to give them rest and go to bed early, even if it’s not bedtime yet. Being in nature, every person is able to take off his shoes and walk on the grass with bare feet. A natural massage with stones in natural soil, as well as jogging on the sand, will give a special effect. The blood supply to numb legs will improve when you are in the water, swimming and moving your legs along the seabed. Don't neglect massagers, rollers, and spiky balls. In your free time, you can perform daily massages with the feet of both legs using these devices.
The foot should feel at any age that it is in the right position and is being taken care of.
When considering a condition such as flat feet, it is worth noting that among all the treatment options and methods, physical therapy exercises can speed up the healing process and make the patient feel better. Since in adults the process of deformation of the foot structure is largely an irreversible process, taking medications will not return it to its former health. Therefore, exercises have been developed for transverse and longitudinal flatfoot.
At the top of therapy are massage, gymnastics and physiotherapy. Of course, you can contact a surgeon who will try to restore the anatomical properties of the foot, but this procedure is dangerous, makes a person incapacitated for a long time and often leads to complications.
By the way, it is worth noting that even after the operation, you will need to undergo a rehabilitation course, in which gymnastics is a mandatory procedure. So let's talk about common types of physical therapy and exercises with simulators.
As is known from anatomy, the human foot consists of small bones connected to each other by a group of muscles and ligaments. Together they form the arches of the foot - transverse and longitudinal, which allow you to redistribute the load and prevent injury. When walking, the foot has the property of shock absorption, so a person does not experience discomfort when taking a step, and the normal condition of the arches of the feet allows one to avoid rapid fatigue and pain in the legs.
If you take and look at the foot from below, you can see that it is not completely in contact with the ground. This happens thanks to the vaults. With a pathological influence, deformation occurs and if the transverse arch of the foot flattens, then flattening is observed in the area of the forefoot. The load is distributed unevenly and increases in the area of the outer metatarsal bones.
Transverse flatfoot leads to a fan-shaped divergence of the metatarsals and deviation of the big toe to the side, and the other toes also become hammer-shaped. These features make it possible to diagnose and distinguish pathology from longitudinal flatfoot. Transverse flatfoot is much more common; it mainly affects women after 30-35 years of age, and to understand this dependence, let’s look at the reasons.
Pathology appears under the influence of several factors. Physical activity is primarily to blame.
Workers in professions who have to walk or stand a lot, people with obesity or physical inactivity suffer.
Women wearing high heels, or men who prefer uncomfortable shoes, increase the risk of developing flat feet. People with leg injuries, pathologies of the endocrine system, and athletes also suffer. In rare cases, infections, autoimmune processes, and congenital pathologies of the muscle apparatus can lead to foot deformities.
In total, there are three degrees of flat feet, and the longer the pathology is left untreated, the more active the symptoms appear. A person experiences a feeling of pain after putting stress on his feet, and calluses and corns form on the soles. You can pay attention to shoes that become uncomfortable and wear out faster on the inside. As the disease progresses, rapid fatigue, cramps and swelling in the lower leg predominate.
If you start timely treatment, you can stop the progression. Treatment with exercise therapy will strengthen the leg muscles, improve their mobility and endurance.
Let's consider basic exercises that can be used at any age and do not require much effort. Gymnastics helps well in the initial stages of pathology and after surgery.
The first group of exercises is performed lying on your back, legs slightly apart, and after each exercise you need to rest for 5-10 seconds
You need to pull your socks towards you, making movements with both legs. The body body does not move. At the moment of maximum attraction of the feet, you need to turn them inward, towards each other, so that they touch.
The heels of the feet lift off the floor at the same time and then lower. First, you need to raise your feet one at a time, after 10 times try to raise your feet at the same time.
For this technique, you need to bend your knees, spread your hips, but keep your feet touching. It is necessary to move the toes of the feet, then press them together and do the same manipulation with the heels. The exercise is done quickly, making cotton-like movements.
Self-massage exercise. The starting position is the same as in exercise No. 3, only you need to try to rub your sole against your left shin for 20-30 seconds, after which the position of the legs changes.
Each exercise is performed 7-10 times, except No. 4. The second group of techniques is done in a sitting position on a chair, with the legs bent at the knees and the feet slightly apart:
In turn, it is necessary to lift the heel area up 10 times, after which the heels are raised simultaneously also 10 times.
In the same position as in technique No. 1, you only need to lift your toes, while your heels remain in place.
A technique that combines the technique of exercises No. 1 and 2. When the heel of the left foot is lifted off the floor, the toe of the right foot is lifted off the floor and after returning to the starting position, the exercise is done in reverse.
This technique allows you to stimulate the work of all the muscles located on the foot, and if you feel a little pain, then there is nothing wrong with it.
It is necessary to place the shin of the left leg on the area of the right knee and move the left foot in a circle, first clockwise for 20-30 seconds, then counterclockwise. Next, the position of the legs changes.
While sitting on a chair, caterpillar movements are made, that is, the toes are tucked in and the heel is pulled up. You need to take these steps forward and backward as much as possible without getting up from your chair. The technique can be performed with both legs together, or alternately.
The techniques are done 10-15 times or for 30 seconds. After completing all the techniques, you can supplement the exercise by grabbing small objects scattered around your feet with your fingers. This improves motor skills and massages the feet. Having lifted the object with your fingers, you need to move it to another area.
The third treatment complex is performed in a standing position, with the legs shoulder-width apart:
It is worth remembering that in order to get rid of flat feet, you need to be able to walk correctly. Shoes should be comfortable, with arch support. It is advisable to purchase orthopedic insoles. Women will have to limit themselves to walking in heels higher than 5 centimeters.
The exercise therapy complex can be performed daily or every other day for a month, after which you take a break and consult with a doctor about the success of treating transverse flatfoot.
It is recommended to supplement the exercises with walking on the toes, on the outer edges of the foot, with bent knees and raised heels. It is also useful to walk with your knees high, going down or up on an incline. For transverse flatfoot, exercises with toes abducted to the sides are not prescribed, so as not to aggravate the condition.
Effectively treat flat feet with exercises with various objects. So, the first technique is performed using a round object like a rolling pin or a gymnastic stick. You need to sit on a chair, spread your feet shoulder-width apart and place the object near your fingers, stepping on it. It is necessary to move your feet forward and backward, as if rolling an object. In this case, the rolling pin or stick should move along the foot from the toes to the heel and back. Perform the technique for 30-40 seconds.
Exercises with foreign objects enhance the therapeutic effect due to pressure and stimulation of leg muscle tissue. The effect of self-massage is obtained. If you are diagnosed with flat feet, you can purchase massage balls that need to be rolled back and forth in a circle while sitting on a chair. The manipulations are repeated until a feeling of fatigue appears, done daily or every other day.
It is useful to perform gymnastics on a foot massager, which can be purchased not only for treatment, but also for prevention. Especially if a person’s work involves being on his feet. Having installed the massager on the floor, you need to sit on a chair, place your feet on the device and perform rolling movements from toe to heel. Such rolls need to be performed 10 to 20 times.
While sitting on the floor, perform the following gymnastics:
If possible, you need to step on the block with your fingers. The block should be no more than 15 centimeters high and fixed in such a way that the person does not fall. You need to raise your toes up, while your heels do not touch either the block or the floor. The exercise is performed up to 10-15 times. To be on the safe side, you can hold on with your hands.
In general, many treatment methods have been created, but physical education is considered not an addition, but the main method of treating flat feet. If it is not possible to go for a massage, then in addition to gymnastics you need to do self-massage, affecting the feet, ankles, and calves. So, by devoting 10-15 minutes a day for massage and exercise, we can say that the treatment of flat feet will be effective.