Flatfoot is a common condition frequently seen by podiatrists, with over 70 million people in the United States alone being affected. For some people having flat feet doesn’t cause any problems, but for many folks having untreated or improperly treated flat feet causes not only many foot and ankle problems but also has a radiating effect up your spine. The resultant gait abnormalities often contribute to knee, hip, back pain discomfort, and may cause shin splints.

Flat feet happen in primarily two ways:

• Acquired flat feet that occur with age—Your feet absorb an enormous amount of pressure every day, and as you get older, the wear and tear cause your arches to stretch and fall. Properly fitted shoes with custom orthotic inserts work wonders at holding the arches up and help prevent Plantar fasciitis and tendonitis.
• Congenital flat feet that you’re born with—People who are born with flexible flat feet have an arch, but as soon as weight is placed on the foot,-the arch flattens out. Another inherited version of flat feet involves having no discernable arch, which often doesn’t cause any problems for some people.

See your foot doctor for flat feet problems to make sure you get the proper diagnosis and treatment. At Your Next Step, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience, to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including sports injuries, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain, and skin problems. Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen provide high-quality foot and ankle care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area at our offices conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, and Downingtown. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.