Flat Foot Shoes

Do you have a flat foot problem? There is a good chance that your flat foot is actually not even a real problem. Not to take away from the pain, but if your doctor has gone to recommend insoles and specialized shoes for life, maybe it is time for a second consultation. 

Our bodies are resilient. Designed in a way that allows us to heal and reverse almost any kind of deterioration. With feet, it is a little different however given they are weight bearing structures.

The way to heal from any injury is two fold - rest to ensure what’s broken does not break more and second and most important is strengthening it so it can take load again.

Flat feet can happen as you grow up if your arch is not trained to take your own body weight. The foot arch is a flexible muscle group that allows for pronation. Pronation is super important for our body’s spring action. Think of it as a suspension system that allows for recoil and dampening of extreme forces.

Flat feet can be reversed naturally by the following - 

1. Weight management - less load means more freedom

2. Training the arch muscle - the arch muscle can be trained to hold more weight and also be flexible and strong enough in all ranges of motion.

While weight management depends on a lot of factors, a big factor in arch strength comes from progressive overload. 

If you stay in cushioned shoes that do the job for you all day, arch support, heel support - your arch does not find the range of motion as you walk or run to train. Slowly and eventually it gets so weak that even your weight makes it flat.

So the real way forward is to be more barefoot or wear minimalist shoes to allow your foot to be in its natural position and become stronger with every step.