When flat feet occur, treatment becomes the most interesting issue. In early childhood, with timely detection, when the bones are still at the stage of development, a complete cure can be achieved. But how can adults get rid of flat feet? This is a problem with many unknowns. In any case, the pathology carries a number of complications that knock you out of your usual way of life, therefore, it must be treated and the degree of impact on the vital functions of the body must be minimized. Advanced stages of the disease can lead to limited work intensity, and the question of whether it is possible to run with flat feet may give way to the desire to walk normally.
Flat feet is a foot deformity that causes the arches to drop. Nature has endowed humans with a unique foot structure that can act as a shock absorber under load. This property is provided by the dome-shaped arch, formed by the plantar aponeurosis, attached to the calcaneal tubercle and the heads of the metatarsal bones. This complex structure is supported by the ligamentous-muscular system, which experiences enormous stress when walking or running.
With a normally developed structure of the foot, the natural shock absorber does not allow loads to spread when walking upward, absorbing most of them with a springy arch. If the structure is disturbed, that is, flat feet, the shock-absorbing functions of the foot suffer, which allows the load to spread unhindered to the musculoskeletal system. The spine has to take on the forced shock-absorbing function, which causes its reaction, in particular compression of the nerve roots with pain.
Depending on the location of the deformity, the following types of flatfoot are distinguished: transverse, longitudinal and combined. The most widespread is the transverse variety, characterized by flattening of the transverse arch in the anterior part of the foot. In this zone, the aponeurosis is located on the heads of the 5th metatarsal bones. The deformity is caused by a decrease in the length of the foot as a result of a fan-shaped displacement of the metatarsal bones (a deviation of the big toe and a bending deformity of the middle toe are observed). Transverse deformity is a characteristic flatfoot in adults aged 32-55 years.
The longitudinal form of the pathology is more typical for adolescents and young people aged 15-28 years. In this case, the longitudinal arch of the foot is flattened. Its length increases and the domed appearance disappears. The foot increasingly lowers its entire area onto the supporting surface (floor), and at its maximum stage is in full contact with it. As a person's own weight increases, this type of deformation becomes more pronounced. The combined variety combines both types of pathology considered.
Taking into account the etiology of the disease, congenital flatfoot and its acquired form are distinguished. The first type of disease is caused by genetic weakness of connective tissue, abnormal development of the ligamentous-muscular system of the foot. This pathology is detected already at the age of 4-5 years, when the baby begins to actively move; early diagnosis is difficult but could help in cure. Naturally, at an early age the question of whether flat feet can be treated is resolved in the affirmative. The disease can affect only one limb, but the absolute predominance is bilateral disease.
The acquired form depends on the causes of flat feet. Acquired due to various diseases, injuries and stress. Based on the etiological features, the following types of disease are distinguished:
In order to decide how to deal with flat feet, it must be identified in a timely manner. The most typical manifestation of signs of deformation in a foot print on a plane is when the footprint does not separate the front and rear zones. However, there are other indirect symptoms that you should pay attention to.
Indirect symptoms include the following signs of flat feet: wear of shoes on the inside; rapid fatigue when walking; fatigue and pain in the limbs after a working day; muscle cramps.
A characteristic symptom may be swelling of the legs in the foot and ankle area. Women feel the first signs of the disease in the form of discomfort in wearing high-heeled shoes and a desire to wear larger shoes. Gait and posture gradually change, and advanced disease causes pain in the lower back, hips, and knee joints.
The degrees of flatfoot are characterized by the following stages of the disease:
Why is flat feet dangerous? If the issue of treatment is not addressed in a timely manner, the pathology progresses and leads to deformation of the fingers, the appearance of calluses and subsequent more serious complications associated with poor circulation of the extremities, changes in the knee, hip joints and lumbar region.
The absence of treatment for the disease causes the following consequences of flat feet: severe pain syndromes, abnormal gait and posture, difficulty in squatting and problems maintaining balance when squatting, heaviness in gait, clubfoot, deformation of the entire foot (curvature, change in the length of the fingers, big toe bones, widening of the foot), deformation in the knee joint, abnormal development of leg muscles, and the appearance of ingrown toenails.
The easiest way to diagnose flat feet is to visually analyze the footprint left on a flat surface. With a normal arch of the foot, the footprint occupies less than half of the total surface of the plantar zone. If the arch flattens, then most of the sole is imprinted, and in advanced stages, the entire foot.
A more accurate diagnosis of the disease can only be made by an orthopedic doctor, who will then determine how to remove the deformity.
Diagnosis of flat feet is carried out visually and using instrumental studies: radiography of the foot, podometry, computer diagnostics.
How to treat flat feet? It is possible to really eliminate foot deformation only in childhood, when bone and connective tissues are at the stage of development. Complete foot restoration in adults is almost impossible to achieve.
Flat feet in adults are treated to eliminate progression, relieve symptoms and restore ability to work.
Treatment of the disease includes several areas, which depend on the severity of the pathology. Elimination of painful symptoms is carried out with the help of drug therapy and physiotherapeutic methods. General treatment and prevention is carried out using therapeutic massage, exercise therapy, and foot baths. Correction and restoration of the shape of the foot is carried out by prescribing orthopedic insoles (instep supports) or special orthopedic shoes. In case of extreme exacerbation of the pathology, surgical intervention is indicated.
Restoring the natural shape of the foot is achieved by wearing special arch supports, which increase muscle tone, redistribute loads, which reduces pain. Corrective insoles are divided into the following types:
Modern insoles are made of europlastic, supralene, silicone, and foamed polymers, which makes them comfortable to wear. In severe stages of the disease, special orthopedic boots are prescribed. They have a solid sole and lateral support elements for the foot. These boots are made strictly to size (after taking a plaster cast of the foot).
Prevention and treatment of flat feet are largely based on the constant implementation of simple gymnastic exercises. The following complex is recommended:
An effective method of preventing flat feet is a foot bath with a medicinal composition. The most common addition to water is sea salt (1 tbsp per 1 liter of water). After the bath, it is advisable to massage the foot and treat it with a nourishing cream. Medicinal solutions based on decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs have proven themselves well. The beneficial effects of a decoction of oak bark, infusion of sage, peppermint, and linden are especially noted. You can treat your feet with an alcoholic infusion of immortelle.
But you should always remember that before using any traditional method, you should consult a doctor.