A Guide to Dealing with Fallen Arches

One of the major causes of fallen arches is posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. The tibialis posterior is one of the muscles located in the lower part of the leg. The tendon extends from the muscle in back of the ankle's inside bone, over the insteps, and then is attached to the bottom part of the foot. The arch of the foot is held up by the tibialis posterior which also prevents the foot from rolling over. The tendon sometimes becomes inflamed and stretched The condition is referred to as Acquired Adult Flat Foot or Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction. The condition is most commonly referred to as fallen arches by most people.

How does the condition progress?

Injury or trauma: Fallen arches can occasionally be caused by a direct blow to a tendon, sprain, or fracture.

Age: As we age, our risk for developing fallen arches goes up. It has been suggested by research that the group of people who are most commonly affected is middle-aged women.

Being overweight: if an individual has flat feet, the more weight may cause the tibialis posterior tendon to undergo excessive stretching and that can cause the development of fallen arches.

Footwear with inadequate support can be a contributing factor. This can easily be remedied, visit the Orthotic Shop for supportive footwear.

Inflammatory arthritis: Degeneration and inflammation of the tendon can cause tearing in the tendon.

The factors above can cause the foot's arch to collapse ("fallen arches") and for the position of the bones in the ankle and foot to change.

Common symptoms of fallen arches

Pain along the inside part of the ankle and foot, where the tendon is. This might or might not be associated with the area having swelling.

Pain that worsens with activity. It can be quite difficult to engage in high-impact or high-intensity activities like running.

Pain on the outside part of the ankle. Whenever the foot collapses, the bone in the heel might shift to a new outward position.

Fallen arches can be prevented by taking the following measures:

- Whenever you are able to recognize fallen arch symptoms early, it can help you prevent more serious problems from developing. A burning, sharp pain in the heel area and arch is the most common symptom. Other symptoms include having a hard time running fast, jumping high, or standing on your tiptoes as well as swollen ankles. Some individuals also have pain in their lower back, knee, or calf.

- It is very important to wear the right footwear if you have fallen arches. It is recommended that you wear a pair of sturdies fallen arches shoes like lace-up boots or shoes that stabilize your feet and are able to accommodate orthotic braces and insoles.

- Wear supportive orthotic insoles. Fallen arches orthotics can help to support the arches of your feet and to compensate for any over-pronation. When you wear the proper fallen arches insoles and foot orthotics together along with fallen arches shoes it can help to alleviate inflammation and pain and reduce the amount of strain placed on your posterior tibial tendon. Inflammation can also be helped with creams, balms, oils and other products.

- Do exercises to strengthen your arches. You can help to prevent fallen arches by strengthening your arches. There are several different exercises that can be done, including wrapping a towel over the sole of your feet and extending and holding your leg for 30 seconds in an extended position. Another thing you can do is stand on a hard surface barefoot and flex your feet just as hard as possible. This will activate your arch muscle and also ensure that your toes do not press down and your feet do not roll.

How to purchase fallen arches shoes
Like all good investments, particularly when it comes to investing in your health, it is important to know which features you should look for before purchasing a product. The same is true when you are looking for a pair of fallen arches shoes. In order to find the best shoes to wear with fallen arches, be sure the shoes have these features:

- Premium orthotic insoles that offer anatomical arch support to reduce over-pronation and to help with aligning the foot.

- A firm heel counter that reduces over-pronation, supports the foot and holds the heel.

- Soles that offer firm support and do not collapse under the foot's arch.

-    Creams

- An extra-depth design that accommodates custom orthotics, allows for more toe motion and offers a relaxed fit.

- Removable insoles that you can replace with custom orthotics.

The Orthotic Shop stock footwear that is equipped with unique orthopedic features to provide the market with some of the best fallen arches footwear.  Browse through our huge assortment of fallen arches shoes.

This is a guest blog entry.