If you experience heel or arch pain and it doesn’t improve with ice or rest, you may have a structural abnormality like flat feet. At Greenwood Foot Clinic, board-certified podiatrist and foot surgeon Mark Lazar, DPM, and podiatrist and foot surgeon Stephen Tentler, DPM, and the team, have years of experience diagnosing and treating flat feet. To make an appointment, call the office in Greenwood or Martinsville, Indiana, or book online today.
If you have flat feet, your soles touch the floor whenever you stand up or take a step. All people are born with flat feet, but the arches typically form by age two or three. Researchers don’t know why, but some people never develop arches. When this occurs, it may cause foot pain and mobility issues.
Symptoms of flat feet include:
If you have flat feet, you might also experience toe drift, a condition that causes your toes to point outward.
Make an appointment with the team at Greenwood Foot Clinic if you don’t have any visible arches and you experience foot pain. You might also make an appointment if the pain doesn’t respond to at-home treatment or it prevents you from work and other activities.
Several factors may increase your risk of flat feet, including:
You’re also more likely to experience flat feet if you have diabetes.
The team at Greenwood Foot Clinic diagnoses flat feet during an in-office visit.
Your provider reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms, including when they started and if they’re worse during certain activities, like work or exercise. Next, they ask you to stand up and walk back and forth. Your provider observes your gait and posture and looks to see if your arches come off the ground.
If these tests don’t provide enough information, your provider orders diagnostic imaging, like X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI. These procedures can identify underlying issues that might exacerbate your symptoms, like arthritis or heel spurs.
Treatment of flat feet depends on several factors, including the severity of your symptoms and their effect on your quality of life. The team at Greenwood Foot Clinic might recommend:
If you have flat feet because of a ruptured tendon or another sports injury, the team might recommend surgery. Surgery can repair the soft tissue and restore your mobility.
To learn more about the treatment options for flat feet, make an appointment at Greenwood Foot Clinic by calling the nearest office or booking online today.