Flat feet or fallen arches is a condition in which the foot has an arch that is lower than usual. A small subset of the population suffers from this symptom of flat footedness. If flat feet is hereditary and present themselves at birth, for others the condition can occur as a result of mis-treating the feet – for example wearing high heels for prolonged periods of time, or wearing shoes with no support. It can also occur due to weakened muscles in the foot due to aging. For many, flat feet cause no problems, but in others the body becomes misaligned. Weight is incorrectly distributed across the lower half of the body, which can lead to the foot rolling inwards, a condition known as over-pronation, which can cause problems including poor posture, pain in the lower back, knee, hip and foot pain, and pain in the heels.

How do I know if I have Flat Feet?

Follow these three steps:Wet your feet and stand on a flat surface where your footprint will show, such as on a concrete walkway. Look at the prints and if you see complete imprints of the bottom of your feet on the surface, then you're likely to have flat feet.

Many people have flat feet and but face no problems. But for those who experience the any of the following symptoms where the feet get tired easily, feel pain in the areas of arches and heels, the inside bottom of your feet swells, and standing on your feet becomes painful apart from the back and leg pain , it's time to visit the orthopedic !

Treatment

The known effective treatment for flat feet are orthotic insoles for support, and if the pain is too unbearable -cortisone injections and in rare cases- surgery.Orthotic shoe inserts force the feet into an arched position by gradually realigning the muscles and tendons.

They are suggested by the orthopedics to build the arch back and can take  more than a year to  5 years to correct the problem depending upon the age.They are also slightly expensive.

Foot exercises are also recommended apart from the insoles which you help you build back the arches. These exercised should be done every day for 10-15 minutes .These exercises may be specific to each patient and the condition of the heel and the arch. Apart from improving the arch they also improve and increase foot strength and flexibility.

Barefoot exercises -Orthopedics and physiotherapists around the world are suggesting the benefits of foot exercises- where  the exercises meant for flat footed people should be done bare foot either on the floor or  soft green grass or carpets which is known to cure the condition faster and also a cheaper alternate!