Do you have flat feet? Today, I will help you understand what may lie ahead for you, or possibly provide you with an explanation for a problem you already have. First, let me help you understand your foot anatomy:

The foot has 26 bones….yes, over 1/4 of the bones in your body! These bones are held together by ligaments and arranged into 3 different arches..yes, there are actually 4 arches, not just one. These arches act like little springs when you walk, run, and/or jump. Much like the shock absorbers in your car, your feet absorb most of the shock when you move around so the rest of your body doesn’t get jostled.

It’s estimated that healthy feet will absorb about 85-90% of the shock from each step we take. Flat feet occur when the 26 bones of the foot become misaligned. This happens from all of the stress, injuries, twists, and twinges that our feet sustain through life. In fact…flat feet are very common because most people experience high levels of stress to their feet on a daily basis.

Here are the 5 conditions which can develop over time from flat feet:

1. Plantar Fasciitis-pain on the bottom of your heel into the arch
2. Knee pain-causes rotation of the lower leg bone, creating torsion stress to the knee
3. Low Back pain-80% of low back pain may be related to foot imbalances
4. Heel Spurs-boney calcification at the bottom or back of the heel
5. Metatarsalgia-pain on the ball of the foot.

You may be wondering if there is anything that can improve your feet if you have fallen arches. Our clinic is unique because we do adjustments to the 26 foot bones. Adjusting and realigning these bones can do wonders for many of the foot and leg conditions patients often suffer from. if you know someone who has foot problems, pleas share our information and let them know that one of our specialties is treating feet. Thank you for referring your friends and family!