Flat feet help?

I was wondering if anyone here has actually gone through with surgery for flat feet...

Jerry Phillips3 said:I suppose there isn't much you can actually do in terms of correcting the issue. My daughter was diagnosed with the same thing when she was four—an orthopedic doctor literally described her feet as being like elephant feet—and now, after three years, they've almost straightened out on their own. It wasn't even thanks to those inserts, which we only used for a few months, but rather just staying active through sports. I’m seeing the exact same thing with my younger son, so I guess I'll be signing him up for soccer next year, or whatever sport he decides he likes.

As for me, I've dealt with this my whole life, and for thirty-eight years, it never really bothered me until the pains started hitting my hands and shoulders. A physiatrist eventually told me I have scoliosis, which apparently stems from flat feet combined with my desk job. I went through physical therapy, and honestly, after finishing that and sticking to a daily workout routine for two months, the pain has finally subsided and I don't seem to have any issues anymore.

Hi there, I'm dealing with the exact same thing. Could you please explain more specifically which exercises you were doing? Thanks so much in advance...

Hey everyone!

So, I've dealt with flat feet since I was a kid—just one of those things I never really thought twice about back then—but lately, it’s started getting a little annoying... mostly because when I'm out walking, my feet just seem to roll inward quite a bit.

I was wondering about a few things.
1. Is it actually possible to fix this kind of thing once you're an adult just by doing some exercises?
2. If I go see an orthopedist through my insurance, does that cover anything, and what's the deal with the cost of orthopedic inserts?

brightcrane5 said:Hey everyone!

So, I've dealt with flat feet since I was a kid—just one of those things I never really thought twice about back then—but lately, it’s started getting a little annoying... mostly because when I'm out walking, my feet just seem to roll inward quite a bit.

I was wondering about a few things.
1. Is it actually possible to fix this kind of thing once you're an adult just by doing some exercises?
2. If I go see an orthopedist through my insurance, does that cover anything, and what's the deal with the cost of orthopedic inserts?

Look, there are definitely foot exercises out there to strengthen those muscles, but I wouldn't bet the house on it being a 100% fix... I doubt it.

I went to see my doctor and she basically told me that unless you're under 18, the insurance isn't covering the cost of the inserts.

Personally, I ended up just buying my own custom ones—they take a mold of your foot and everything—and man, they work. My feet feel way more level now.

Michelle Lopez86 said:Look, there are definitely foot exercises out there to strengthen those muscles, but I wouldn't bet the house on it being a 100% fix... I doubt it.

I went to see my doctor and she basically told me that unless you're under 18, the insurance isn't covering the cost of the inserts.

Personally, I ended up just buying my own custom ones—they take a mold of your foot and everything—and man, they work. My feet feel way more level now.

Just so I can clarify things a little bit—I’m pretty happy with how it's looking... I just really hope it doesn't drift too far inward...

If you don't mind me asking—and I promise I’m not being nosy!—how much did those supplies actually run you?...

brightcrane5 said:Just so I can clarify things a little bit—I’m pretty happy with how it's looking... I just really hope it doesn't drift too far inward...

If you don't mind me asking—and I promise I’m not being nosy!—how much did those supplies actually run you?...

$147.. Otto Bock
http://www.ottobock.com/

Hi everyone. I wanted to bring this topic back up for a moment. I'm 29 years old, and honestly, I've moved past the idea of trying to "fix" my flat feet. I just live with it. That said, I am looking to pick up some insoles to make life a little easier; sometimes when I'm on my feet for a long stretch, or when I'm playing tennis or soccer, things start to ache. It’s purely about comfort at this point. Does anyone know if there are any universal options out there that I can swap between my sneakers and my work shoes? Everything I've been digging up online seems to be hyper-specialized—custom molds for sneakers, specific ones for dress shoes, different ones for everything else—and each one costs $117. I just don't see the logic in that much spending. Any advice from those of you who have dealt with flat feet for a while? Thanks.

I found myself caught up in quite a heated debate last night, and it left me wondering what you all think: is it actually possible to correct flat feet once you’ve reached adulthood? I have spent my entire life operating under the firm belief that it simply isn't doable—that my foot is essentially just a limp, lifeless mass lacking any real muscle tone. Yet, here is this ballerina, trying to convince me that if I just commit to about twenty minutes of targeted exercises every single day, I could actually achieve proper foot structure and lift my arches.
Do you honestly believe that’s feasible? To my mind, it sounds a bit far-fetched; if it were truly that simple, nobody in the country would be struggling with flat feet.

velvetmason81 said:Hi everyone. I wanted to bring this topic back up for a moment. I'm 29 years old, and honestly, I've moved past the idea of trying to "fix" my flat feet. I just live with it. That said, I am looking to pick up some insoles to make life a little easier; sometimes when I'm on my feet for a long stretch, or when I'm playing tennis or soccer, things start to ache. It’s purely about comfort at this point. Does anyone know if there are any universal options out there that I can swap between my sneakers and my work shoes? Everything I've been digging up online seems to be hyper-specialized—custom molds for sneakers, specific ones for dress shoes, different ones for everything else—and each one costs $117. I just don't see the logic in that much spending. Any advice from those of you who have dealt with flat feet for a while? Thanks.

I went with Active insoles since I'm basically living in my sneakers, and they do the job. Just grab whatever you end up using most often. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all fix; they usually need to be custom or made for a specific shoe type.

When it comes to orthotics and insoles, I have actually discovered that simply adding a bit of extra height under my heel makes a world of difference. For instance, I’ve started tucking two heel lifts into my sneakers—I usually just pick up those specific ones at CVS (they actually have a cutout designed specifically for people dealing with plantar fasciitis, but I just ignore the hole entirely). When I layer one directly on top of the other, I get this perfect little elevation that makes running or even just walking feel significantly more effortless and comfortable.

I’m actually curious about this too. I feel like I’ve heard a million times that once you’re an adult, you can't really fix it—you just sort of tweak things a tiny bit so life isn't quite as miserable.
The general consensus seems to be that if you start exercises and use orthotics early enough during childhood, you might have a chance.

Timothy Torres3 said:I found myself caught up in quite a heated debate last night, and it left me wondering what you all think: is it actually possible to correct flat feet once you’ve reached adulthood? I have spent my entire life operating under the firm belief that it simply isn't doable—that my foot is essentially just a limp, lifeless mass lacking any real muscle tone. Yet, here is this ballerina, trying to convince me that if I just commit to about twenty minutes of targeted exercises every single day, I could actually achieve proper foot structure and lift my arches.
Do you honestly believe that’s feasible? To my mind, it sounds a bit far-fetched; if it were truly that simple, nobody in the country would be struggling with flat feet.

Also, I was wondering—what kind of symptoms are you all dealing with regarding flat feet?
For me, it’s these brutal heel pains whenever I walk even a little bit. It doesn't even take hours of walking; sometimes it's just thirty minutes or an hour. Other times, there's no pain at all, so I guess it's just hit or miss.
It feels like I’m putting way too much pressure on my heels rather than using my whole foot, which is probably why they hurt so much.

I get cramps in my feet, too. A few foot exercises help for a moment, but then the cramps just come right back later.

And there's this constant stiffness... I can really feel that I'm not using my foot muscles the way I should be. Because of all that, I walk pretty clumsily. I struggle with balance, so I tend to drift to the side, or I'll catch my heel on the ground several times while trying to lift my foot to take a step. That’s actually what bothers me most. Besides the exhaustion of constantly worrying about tripping and falling in public, I probably look like an idiot when I walk. I don't have that relaxed, effortless gait; instead, I just tense up, and I probably end up slouching because of all the tension.

Is anyone else in this boat, or am I just the only one walking around all awkward and crooked because of my feet? 😢

I’ve been dealing with this constant foot pain for about three years now, which basically means I own a handful of sneakers, but there’s this one old pair of Nike runners that causes absolutely zero issues, even if I spend the entire
day on my feet..
The thing is, I have other shoes I actually want to wear, but they just end up making my feet and ankles ache constantly 😢
Honestly, when I see people walking around the city wearing those super thin-soled shoes, I just don't get it 🤔, because for me, it isn't just discomfort—it feels like I'm literally dying..
I really wish I could wear most of my footwear without thinking twice, mostly because it would make shopping so much easier..
Right now, I’m always stuck being hyper-vigilant..
And before anyone suggests it, no amount of orthotics helps; I’ve tried everything under the sun, and I've basically thrown money down the drain on expensive custom insoles -.-
What works for me is a firm sole, something like an Adidas Superstar; in those, I never feel a thing because I don't feel the impact of the concrete, but it confuses me—if I have these foot and ankle issues, shouldn't it hurt in all types of shoes? 🤔

I remember back when I was younger, I could wear thinner soles without any trouble at all, but nowadays, that feels like an impossible mission.. I probably spent years
drinking way too much milk and eating nothing but junk food, so maybe that’s why, hmm

Should I start taking supplements or something? Or maybe overhaul my diet.. perhaps then I could actually enjoy more varieties of sneakers, because it’s incredibly frustrating having two pairs of shoes sitting at home that I can only wear occasionally because they cause so much pain, so I only pull them out when I know I won't be walking much and will mostly be sitting..

Even my slippers have to be those old-school, rigid ones, because I simply can't handle soft ones
It’s almost hard to believe, but my ankles and heels start acting up before I can even finish brewing a cup of coffee😱 whereas four or five years ago, I could wear pretty much any kind of slipper,
which tells me something definitely shifted 😢.. Today, I actually had to head downtown in my oldest, clunkiest sneakers because my newer ones were too painful, and there is absolutely no chance
that I’m buying more new shoes right now; I really want to fix the underlying cause, otherwise my only option is to switch entirely to dress shoes, since those are all firm at the heel anyway hahah

Does anyone happen to know a decent physical therapist in the Washington, D.C. area who specializes in exercises for fallen arches? I'm looking for some real guidance on this.

Feel free to shoot me a DM if you have a recommendation, thanks. 🙂

So, is walking on rocks actually a good move if you've got flat feet? I went ahead and built this little pebble path in my backyard—total DIY project—and I was thinking about hitting it for maybe 15 minutes at a time.

And, just being real here, does anyone actually know how long it takes for an adult to fix flat feet? Like, is there a timeline for when things actually straighten out?

Walkmax insoles actually help some people out. You can stand for much longer without feeling like your feet are dying. They don't kill your heels because the arch support is centered right where it needs to be. Plus, they aren't breaking the bank. Honestly, if they work for your pain, just grab three pairs immediately.

There's this trick where you wrap your foot using boxing wraps to basically lift the arch. You can find explanations for it online if you're curious.

You also need to be more mindful of your gait. Try walking on the outer edges of your feet—aim for a lighter step, almost like you're trying to sneak around without waking anyone up. It helps, though it’s probably better if you have your feet wrapped too. That's what I do, and it makes things a lot easier. Even though I have an arch, I can still walk normally, even if it feels a little weird. My instinct is to let my feet collapse inward, but I refuse to let that happen.

When your feet start acting up and causing serious pain, try walking on your toes for a bit. It’s actually a decent exercise for your arches and takes the pressure off your heels.

I wouldn't call myself an orthotics fanatic, but if you have a job where you're on your feet all day, just try everything. And make sure you're doing foot exercises every single day.

Supposedly, feet like this can't be "fixed" (which sounds pretty debatable to me), and apparently, in some countries, people with flat feet were even deemed unfit for military service.

Which shop in the greater Los Angeles area would have a better selection of orthotic insoles?
.. I mostly just find completely flat ones, which aren't what I'm looking for...

I ran into some Bootdoc insoles while I was in Austria; they aren't bad, but I couldn't find a size 13. 😢