How to Treat Flat Feet and Fallen Arches Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Walking Injuries and Prevention How to Treat Flat Feet and Fallen Arches By Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner is a freelance writer covering walking and other health and fitness topics and has competed in more than 1,000 walking events. Learn about our editorial process Updated on June 18, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Miho J. Tanaka, MD Medically reviewed by Miho J. Tanaka, MD Dr. Tanaka is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in the treatment of sports medicine injuries. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print eva serrabassa/Vetta/Getty Images Do you have fallen arches or flatfoot that cause you enough pain that you avoid walking and exercise? The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) estimates that 5% of adults have this problem. They published clinical practice guidelines in 2005 to assist physicians in treating flatfoot when it is painful and limits your healthy lifestyle. Flatfoot Definitions and Treatments People with normal arches or flat feet can find themselves walking flat-footed. In this case, the feet slap down with each step from the ankle rather than striking with the heel and rolling through a step, pushing off with the toe. Instead, their heel hits the ground and flattens out with a slap. Or, they land flat-footed already at mid-sole with no heel strike. Flat-footed walking may be caused by having shoes that are too stiff. Flexible shoes that bend at the ball of the foot may be helpful in these cases. Walking or running "flat-footed" is a walking mistake that can be corrected, while having flat feet or fallen arches are conditions that may cause you pain. They sound similar but have different solutions. "For many adults, flat feet cause nagging foot pain that gets worse over time. It's tough to be active, shed excess pounds and maintain a healthy lifestyle if your feet hurt constantly," said Kris DiNucci, DPM, FACFAS, in a press release. A study in 2011 found that older adults with flat feet had 1.3 times the risk of knee pain and 1.4 times the risk of knee cartilage damage than those who did not. Flexible Flatfoot If your foot is flat when you are standing but it rebounds to a normal arch height when you sit, this is known as flexible flatfoot. When it is painful and medical treatment is sought, the ACFAS guideline recommends first using non-invasive treatments including changing or limiting activity and doing stretching exercises. Stretching the Achilles tendon, which attaches to the calf muscle, can be helpful in treating pain related to flatfoot. Your physician may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication or custom shoe orthotics. In some cases, if you still have pain after trying those treatments, surgery may be an option. Adult-Acquired Flatfoot Deformity Adult-acquired flatfoot is a more serious condition that can be related to many causes, leading to a rigid flat foot. While the arch rebounds in flexible flatfoot, in this condition it stays flat even when you aren't standing on it. You may lose your range of motion in the foot and ankle and have pain in your arch. The ACFAS clinical guideline recommends that flatfoot can be treated with custom shoe orthotics, soft casts, walking boots, physical therapy, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. If there is no relief or the condition worsens, then the patient may be referred to surgery. People with flatfoot often overpronate and one solution is wearing motion control shoes that limit the excessive side-to-side roll of the ankle during walking or running. Not everyone with flat feet overpronates, so it is something you may need to have checked in order to get the right shoes. A running shoe expert can often help assess your gait. If you are prescribed orthotics, you will want to look for shoes that have a removable insole and enough volume so you can comfortably wear it in your walking shoes. The 10 Best Insoles for Flat Feet of 2021 1 Source Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lee MS, Vanore JV, Thomas JL, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of adult flatfoot. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2005;44(2):78-113. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2004.12.001. Additional Reading Gross KD, Felson DT, Niu J, Hunter DJ, Guermazi A, Roemer FW, Dufour AB, Gensure RH, Hannan MT. "Association of flat feet with knee pain and cartilage damage in older adults." Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011 Jul;63(7):937-44. doi: 10.1002/acr.20431. Press Release "New clinical practice guideline published to treat flat feet in adults." American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, March 5, 2005 By Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner is a freelance writer covering walking and other health and fitness topics and has competed in more than 1,000 walking events. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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