Flat feet is a condition where the arch is collapsed in the foot due to the heel bone falling off of the ankle bone. When this happens, the bones in the foot are misaligned and the foot does not properly hold an arch. Some have said that the only real issue you would have with flat feet is a cosmetic one – and that treatment would only be necessary if you were concerned about how your feet look. While not everyone experiences painful symptoms with flat feet, they are more serious than you might realize. You may have issues in your feet or musculoskeletal system that are being caused by flat feet, and if you have pain in your body you don’t want to ignore it.

Foot-Specific Pain

There are a lot of common foot problems that can have their roots in flat feet. Do you experience bunions, hammertoes, or heel pain? Have you been diagnosed with metatarsalgia or plantar fasciitis? Do your feet hyperpronate (overpronation inward) when you walk or run? All of these common foot problems can have their root in flat feet. They may or may not show up cosmetically, but they are no doubt affecting you if you are experiencing them!

Musculoskeletal Pain

The next place to consider would be the legs, knees, hips and back. While it may not seem obvious that pain in these areas could be caused by flat feet, because your feet are the foundation for the rest of your body the problem may start there. The effects of having misaligned and flat feet can reverberate up the musculoskeletal system. Do you have pain while running or walking? Do you have knee, hip, or back pain? All of these could be stemming from problems in your foot structure.

Exercise

Flat feet can also cause you to miss out on feeling good and exercising. When your feet hurt, or they are causing other parts of your body to hurt, you are less likely to be active. This can have ramifications in a wide range of areas, particularly your overall health. If you can’t exercise, you can’t stay active and healthy.

Quality of Life

Another reason that having flat feet can be more than a cosmetic issue is quality of life. If you are experiencing pain and discomfort, and are less inclined to exercise, you are also likely not up for doing the things you would normally enjoy doing. Are you less likely to go shopping with friends? Or take the kids to the park? Or go for a run? It’s not hard to see how flat feet can be lowering your quality of life.

If you are experiencing painful feet due to flat feet, they may be causing problems that are more serious than a cosmetic issue. You want to maximize your health in every way that you can, and have the most enjoyable quality of life possible. There are treatments for flat feet.