A scientific guide to flat feet and high arches. Don’t let your feet “deformity” ruin your life

Flat feet and high arches

Science Guide

Don’t let your feet “deformity” affect your life

Just a simple walk

Not far yet

My feet feel as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

Every step I take is accompanied by a dull pain

This is daily overwork.

Or is there a deeper foot problem hiding somewhere?

Many people don't know that if you feel tired or your feet hurt when you walk, it may be because of flat feet or high arches . So what are flat feet and high arches?

flatfoot

Flat feet, also known as flat feet, refer to the collapse of the arch of the foot, the reduction or disappearance of the longitudinal arch of the foot, which causes the entire sole of the foot to touch the ground, often accompanied by valgus deformity of the foot and abnormal development of the plantar fascia . When the symptoms develop to a certain extent, they will lead to a series of clinical symptoms such as lower limb pain, weakness, and limited walking .

High arched foot

Pes cavus is a common foot deformity in children. It is usually caused by neuromuscular diseases, which leads to fixed plantar flexion of the forefoot, thus increasing the longitudinal arch of the foot . Sometimes it is combined with varus deformity of the hindfoot . Occasionally, the cause is unknown, which can be called idiopathic pedis cavus.

Causes of flat feet and high arches

Flat feet and high arches are mainly divided into congenital and acquired. Congenital ones are mainly due to genetics, while acquired ones are caused by incorrect walking and trauma.

1. Genetic factors

High arched feet has a certain genetic tendency. If there are people with high arched feet in the family, the probability of their offspring suffering from high arched feet may be relatively high.

2. Ill-fitting shoes

Wearing ill-fitting shoes for a long time may also aggravate the symptoms of flat feet and high arches.

3. If the foot injury is not properly treated

Poor fracture healing can change the bone structure of the foot, leading to flat feet and high arches

Diagnostic Methods

Watermarking

Dip the soles of your bare feet in water, stand up, and press the soles of your feet on white paper or a mat with normal force. Observe the footprints and compare them with the standard feet.

You can see that there is a blank space in the middle of the sole. Normally, the width of the blank space should account for 2/3 of the entire foot width; if it is less than 2/3, it is a low arch or flat foot; if it is greater than 2/3, it is a high arch.

Finger detection method

Place your feet on the ground and insert your fingers from the inside of the foot. A normal arch can reach the middle of the sole of the foot. If it cannot be inserted, it is flat feet, while a high arch foot can almost reach the outside of the foot.

How to perform conservative treatment?

For children, at a specific age, insoles with appropriate hardness and softness can be selected to improve the arch of the foot . Adaptive orthotic insoles can promote the growth and development of the arch of the foot through conservative treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis, pressure management and structural stability maintenance are essential for the treatment of flat feet and high arches. In order to provide the most accurate diagnosis and the best treatment plan , our team's gait analysis laboratory is equipped with the most advanced lower limb biomechanical analysis equipment.

①Mirror pressure test equipment: Mirror pressure test uses the principle of mirror reflection to intuitively observe the plantar pressure, arch type and biomechanical line of the lower limbs.

② Plantar scanning test equipment: Through 3D technology and white light mode projection, a 3D CAD model of the foot can be obtained through reverse engineering processing, which can accurately evaluate the abnormal conditions of the patient's lower limbs and obtain various foot data, such as foot shape, arch index, degree of inversion and valgus, etc.

③ Portable gait analysis equipment: Patients wear insoles equipped with sensors to perform a one-minute walking test, which can not only obtain the spatiotemporal and phase parameters of their walking process , but also obtain dynamic parameters , providing an objective and quantitative scientific basis, reducing the demand for space and manpower, and making gait assessment more efficient.

Through these advanced equipment, our team is able to provide each patient with the most accurate diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment plan, helping them recover their health and improve their quality of life as soon as possible.

If you have any problems with your feet and ankles, you are welcome to come and consult us. Let us move towards a healthy path together!!!