My recent theory that the shape of a pair of my shoes was the cause of pain got me thinking about the impact of footwear on the body.
Something that I haven’t really considered is the arches in my feet. I knew that fallen arches can be a barrier to getting into the armed forces, but that was about it.
However, one of the most common causes of gait problems is the presence of pes planus – commonly known as flat feet. This problem is caused by the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch on the inside of the foot.
For such a small part of the anatomy, fallen arches have a large effect on your lower body over the years. Once they fall, the way that your foot is positioned changes and your weight pushes on the wrong side. The interconnectivity of the bones in the leg passes the problem up to the knee joint. (The foot bone connected to the leg bone, the leg bone connected to the knee bone and all that…
This can develop into genu valgum or ‘knock knees’. Your weight has rolled from the outside of your feet and legs to the inside. The outside of your knee is stretched (including the medial collateral ligament) and the cartilage on the inside of your knee (the medial meniscus) is subject to more pressure from the leg bones.
Essentially, the cartilage is at a higher risk of being ground down. And cartilage doesn’t regenerate – once it is gone, it is gone. This is because blood supply to the cartilage is non-existent. So fallen arches leave you more prone to arthritis in your knees. The angle of your hip joint is under similarly abnormal strains.
Scary stuff. But what do physiotherapists believe can aid this? Considering the nature of this column, it is entirely predictable: correctly supporting footwear.
In addition, prevention is the best cure. The first thing to do is to check your arches. The best way to do this is to stand on a towel when you get out of the shower. The wet footprint should be thinner in the middle and on the outside – the side that is anatomically designed for bearing weight.
Hopefully, your footprint will be the correct shape. But if it is, don’t assume that you don’t have to do anything. You may have strong arches now, but all muscles deteriorate over time. Therefore getting into a good habit before there is a problem is still important. So make sure that your footwear has the correct support. Not just when you are doing high impact sports, but in your day-to-day wear. It is worth the extra money and it is easy to check with the assistant during the sales process.
If your footprint doesn’t have a distinctive thin part, then your arches have fallen or are falling. Do not panic! I’d always assumed that once your arches had gone, they couldn’t be recovered. But my research has proved me wrong. Like any muscles, those responsible for the arches can be exercised and strengthened. Watch this space for tips soon.
