Roll up a towel lengthwise and then loop it over one foot (around the ball of your foot).Sit down on the floor or a mat with your feet stretched out in front of you.See a picture of a towel stretch exercise. To increase strength, later use 3 lb (1 kg) to 5 lb (2 kg) weights (such as a large can of fruit or vegetables) on the other end of the towel.Ĭalf-stretching exercises done with a towel. Curl your toes to pull the towel toward you. Grip the towel with the toes of one foot (keep your heel on the floor and use your other foot to anchor the towel).Place a towel on the floor, and sit down in a chair in front of it with both feet resting flat on the towel at one end.Do this 2 to 4 times a day.įoot-strengthening exercises done with a towel and weights. Hold for a count of 10 (increasing the count to 30 or longer as you continue over several weeks).Bend your other (front) leg at the knee, and press the wall with both hands until you feel a gentle stretch on your back leg (calf muscle).Keep the knee of the leg nearest the wall centered over the ankle. Your feet should point directly at the wall or slightly in toward the center of your body. Step back with one foot, keeping that leg straight at the knee, and both feet flat on the floor.Stand about 1 ft (30 cm) from a wall and place the palms of both hands against the wall at chest level.You may be able to relieve heel pain by stretching tight calf muscles. They balance the foot in a neutral position and cushion the foot from excessive pounding.įor children, treatment using corrective shoes or inserts is rarely needed, as the arch usually develops normally by age 5. Your doctor may recommend padding for the heel (heel cup) or orthotic shoe devices, which are molded pieces of rubber, leather, metal, plastic, or other synthetic material that are inserted into a shoe. Treatment in adults generally consists of wearing spacious, comfortable shoes with good arch support. Excessive standing, walking, jumping, or running.Ĭhildren sometimes have foot discomfort and leg aches associated with flat-footedness.People who have flat feet rarely have symptoms or problems. What causes it?įlatfoot may be an inherited condition or may be caused by an injury or condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, stroke, or diabetes. Most children are flat-footed until they are between the ages of 3 and 5 when their longitudinal arch develops normally. One foot or both feet may be affected.Ĭhildren as well as adults may be flat-footed.
Flatfoot (pes planus) is a condition in which the longitudinal arch in the foot, which runs lengthwise along the sole of the foot, has not developed normally and is lowered or flattened out.