Being Aware About Flat Feet: Their Causes and Connection With Shoe Heels

While flat feet may be accused for causing issues during the lifetime, it’s important to understand the daily effects it has on the shoe heels. Next time you see uneven heel wear on your shoes you loved so much, remember how flat footedness could be one of the reasons. It is also important to understand how flat footedness is related to the use of shoes for anyone who wants to take care of shoes. In this article, we would be talking about flat feet in detail including the symptoms and causes, their effect on our heels and how to make better choices to wear heels without exposing them to damage. Come, let’s get to know more about our foot mechanics better! 

Defining Flat Feet

The tendency of the entire sole of the foot to touch the ground instead of having a curved arch is termed as having flat feet. In more medical terms, it is described as falling arches. This condition could be experienced by an individual for one or both feet.

A lot of people who have flat feet do not feel any discomfort. For some, though, it can result into discomfort in the feet, the ankles, the knees and even the hips owing to the incorrect way of walking or standing. Flat feet are often formed in early childhood but can also come about later in the adulthood because of things like obesity or injury.

There is a genetic component in this condition, if flat feet runs in the family, then they are likely to have it too. Also, the environment including the places and the activities that people engage themselves into has a substantial impact.

When considering the appropriate footwear, it is essential to remember how flat feet can affect the way other parts of your body function and as well as the stress that the flat feet puts on these body parts. Tackling these problems quite early can offer a great deal of help in avoiding future complications.

Common Causes and Symptoms

Flat feet or fallen arches can develop due to a lot of reasons. For one, there is a genetic aspect of it, if your parents had flat feet, chances that you will have them too. Also age contributes to affecting plantar arch maturity, as ligaments become less elastic as one gets older. 

Injury to the foot or ankle region is also a quite popular risk factor. Injuries can in fact also start to impair the supporting tissues that help keep the height of the arches within the normal range. There are also some medical conditions such as arthritis or diabetes which will also alter the normal foot dynamics.

Syndromes of flat feet has pain in the arch area of the foot and heels, but it can vary from person to person. Patients have some pain with prolonged standing or during exercise. Due to stress on the arthritic structures swelling along medial malleoli might occur.

Finding supportive footwear can be quite hard for persons with flat feet. The missing support then aggravates the problems of foot misalignment and loading of foot areas through various centers.

When To Suspect Of Wearing Out The Heel The Most

For persons with flat feet, wearing out the heel excessively can be a lead into looking for something deeper in the body. For instance, some people might have noticed that the heel of their shoes wears unevenly which is a major sign. It may also suggest that because of flat arches, you are forcing weight on either side when walking, which causes it to wear quicker.

The second pattern which is frequently witnessed, is the cracking and splitting of fur surface skin on the heel. This results in cuts on the edge of the heel, reduces lifespan of the shoes, and can also cause trouble when putting weight on dart foot. Likewise, if your shoes constantly feel too tight and rub up against this area, it could suggest that you are constantly chewing through your shoe material.

On the other hand, frequent squeaks when walking can point to the possibility of worn-out heels as well. Pay attention to how often you have to change your shoes. If replacements are frequently needed, then look for possibilities of how your foot structure may be influencing your shoe selection and your everyday activities. 

Heel Management for People with Flat Feet

There are some practical measures that are helpful in managing heel wear for flat footed individuals. For a start, choosing the correct type of shoes is a must. Shoes that have arch supports built into them allow for even weight distribution and minimize excess force to the heel bone. Make sure to get shoes that are well cushioned and are stable. 

You may want to consider orthotic inserts too. Over the shelf or custom-madeorthotics can easily help meet the specific requirements of your feet and allow less stress to be exerted on your heels throughout the day. 

Chiropractors also recommend regular check-ups for foot assessments. This will help oversee any changes in the structure of the feet and recommend changes if necessary. Additionally, exercises that incorporate arch muscle strengthening may be beneficial for comfort and stability. 

You can also prevent heel wear owing to flat feet by being conscious about your walking and standing postures. Being conscious about how you walk allows for minor corrections that can prevent problems in the long run.

Such measures enable people with flatfeet to handle heel erosion in their shoes without compromising the condition of their feet as such.

How Flat Feet Causes Heel Wear

Flat feet are important factors that determine the foresoles of a shoe and how anatomical changes on them will deform the bytes or the helmet shrinks. Tremata leads to foot strapping on an upper architecture due to unequal distribution of weight across the foot surface. This unevenness in stress application causes more contraction of some areas of shoes and leaves some areas not well contracted, especially the heels of the shoes.

Flat-footed people also have a variation when running or walking. To put their frequently flat feet down on the ground, they have to pull up their ankle inwards more often than do those with normal arched feet. This added together increases damages to the back of the shoe.

Besides that, flat-footed people do need some extra support in their shoes to encourage alignment to take place. Otherwise, not only do the shoes get worn out easily, but also the physiology of the user is affected because of poor structures.

With retracted gait patterns and weakening of the internal forces developed as a result of attempting to maintain a shoe with a flat-inflated arch shape, along with the time spent in the shoes, their heel shapes become bigger and deform easily.

A healthcare professional will likely start the diagnostic process for flat feet with a history and physical examination. They may look at your arch in the standing and weight-bearing position during your movemen. If there is no weight it may be noted whether the arches are collapsed or maintained. 

Of particular importance are x rays or MRI’s. They provide clear images of how the bones are positioned and whether there is any other structural defect that could be the cause of flat feet. Evaluation of the level of severity is vital in order to come up with the relevant treatment.

There is often treatment that is based on the site and symptoms of the patient. Many of the patients can be relieved by custom made orthotics which are non-invasive and assist in alleviating pressure from the areas of the foot which are most affected. Exercises aimed at stabilizing the foot are often recommended as well.

In the more severe situations a procedure could be resorted to with the aim of solving physical dysfunctions of the foot. This, however, is not the first option. It is rather considered the last option when other restrictions do not yield effective relief. 

Flat Feet and Its Effect on Heels of Shoes 

The effect that flat feet have on heels of shoes is major. When flat feet with no arch exists there will be an imbalance in the distribution of weight across the foot. This results in pressure being distributed unevenly towards particular areas of the shoe especially the heels.

Consequently, shoes worn by people suffering from flat foot may tend to wear the heel more rapidly. The repeated contact with surfaces causes the shoe to deteriorate at an increased rate in comparison to persons without this issue. Therefore, close evaluation of one’s shoes is important to know the influence of the flat foot on the shoes.

Worn-out heels do not only interfere with the cosmetic appeal but also affect comfort as well as support. Once these parts get worn out, they can cause changes in the position and movement of body parts which could induce discomfort in different parts of the body over the years.

By being able to identify such changes early on, both the durability of the shoe and the condition of the foot can be maintained. The wearing out of the heel should be done with the perspective of footprints being used to select new footwear suitable for flat-footed people.