You want to take every precaution to keep your feet in the best possible health and condition. This is especially important for people with flat feet, a condition in which one or both feet do not have an arch when standing.
Even while the majority of flat-footed people don’t have serious health problems, the condition nevertheless calls for extra care and consideration, especially for persons who are active and on their feet a lot. Awareness is vital, whether it’s about understanding what to avoid or about strengthening flat feet and the muscles and tendons impacted.
What distinguishes flat feet from falling arches?
The only real distinction between “fallen arches” and “flat feet” is the timing of the ailment. While fallen arches typically relate to a structural change in the foot that happened over time, flat feet are a congenital ailment that you are born with.
Due to their similarities, flat feet and fallen arches can frequently be treated and exercised in the same way.
Does exercising help flat feet?
In short, exercise is beneficial for flat feet. There is no need to restrict yourself as long as you are not in pain and your activities or exercise progress is moderate.
The greatest treatment for flat feet is exercise since it builds up a lot of muscle support to compensate for the structural instability that is absent. It also prevents painful feet when walking.
People with flat feet frequently feel uncomfortable going barefoot or without some type of support such as custom insoles Singapore. However, it’s imperative to engage in some form of exercise. If you rely on support all the time, your muscles won’t get the workout they require to be strong, which might increase instability by causing weakness.
Again, it’s OK to be as active as you feel comfortable being as long as there is no pain and workouts are increased gradually to gauge how well your feet are handling the exercise.
Arch Strengthening Exercises for Flat Feet
Even though there are many excellent strengthening exercises for flat feet, it’s crucial to first speak with your doctor, podiatrist, or physical therapist.
Here are some workouts that people with flat feet ought to think about.
Arch lifts
In order to perform arch lifts, also known as “foot doming,” you must keep your feet level on the ground and lift your foot’s arch as high as you can.
Do this while shifting your weight to the outside of your foot and keeping your heel and toes on the floor. Either standing or sitting is an option for the exercise.
This helps treat other issues like plantar fasciitis and strengthens the intrinsic foot muscles, according to a study.
Marble pickups
Using your toes to pick up marbles is another workout that develops your feet’s intrinsic (deep) muscles. Put 10 to 20 marbles close to a bowl on the ground. Use your toes to pick up each marble while seated and put it in the basin.
Heel raises
Starting with your feet level on the floor, elevate your heels to place the weight on your feet’s balls for this simple workout. After a few periods of holding the position, slowly lower yourself to the ground.
Heel-walking and toe walking
Your ankle and foot muscles can get stronger by crossing the room on your heels while keeping your toes raised. The same thing can be accomplished by performing the exercise again while tiptoeing (stepping on your toes). This can help improve your intoeing gait.