Common issues associated with fallen arches include plantar fasciitis (inflammation), chronic foot fatigue and increased risk of arthritis of the foot / ankle. Fallen arches are not always bilateral — it can occur in only one foot, especially after suffering a broken ankle or foot.
Many obese people have fallen arches and tend to over-pronate their ankles (the joints collapse and turn in), which then leads to a knock-knee posture. Losing weight won’t reverse fallen arches in most cases, but it will make a positive impact on foot symptoms and biomechanics (movement). The key to losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight is reducing your daily calories. You will need to calculate your basal metabolic rate and strive to eat fewer calories than you burn every day.
Get fitted for your shoes later in the day because that’s when your feet are at their largest, usually due to swelling and slight compression of your arches. You should have enough room in the toe box of your shoes to be able to wiggle your toes.
If swelling is a particular problem in your feet after a day at work, then follow the warm salt bath with a quick ice bath until your feet feel numb (about 10 to 15 minutes). Sometimes women develop fallen arches during the later stages of pregnancy that then recover once the baby is born. It’s considered normal for children to have flat feet until the age of five years (and sometimes as late as 10 years) because it takes time for the bones, ligaments and tendons of the foot to form a supportive arch. [6] X Research source
As an alternative to a wooden roller, position a tennis ball underneath your foot and roll on it slowly for 10 to 15 minutes a few times daily until the soreness in your arches fades away. After the foot massage, stretch the sole of your foot by wrapping a towel around the end of your toes and then trying to extend your leg — hold for 30 seconds and repeat of few times. Consider applying peppermint lotion to your feet after massaging them — it will tingle and invigorate them.
It’s important to realize that foot orthotics don’t reverse any structural deformities of the foot nor can they reconstruct an arch by wearing them over time, but they are a good preventative strategy for avoiding fallen arches. A variety of different healthcare professionals make custom orthotics, but they are not always covered by health insurance, so check your policy. Wearing orthotics often requires taking the shoes original insoles out in order to make enough room for your feet.
X-rays are ideal for seeing bones, but they are not diagnostic for soft tissue problems affecting tendons and ligaments. Podiatrists are trained for relatively minor operations of the feet, but more complex surgeries are usually reserved for orthopedic surgeons.
A good Achilles tendon stretch involves leaning against a wall with one leg at a time outstretched behind you in a lunge-like position. Make sure you keep the outstretched foot flat on the floor to feel a stretch in the tendon that connects your calf muscle to your heel. Hold for about 30 seconds and repeat five to 10 times daily. Physical therapists can tape your foot with sturdy medical-grade tape, which essentially provides a temporary artificial arch to help relieve symptoms. Physical therapists can also treat plantar fasciitis (a common complication of fallen arches) with therapeutic ultrasound, which helps to reduce inflammation and tenderness.
