If ever there was a foot type that cried out for help, the flat foot is the one. This very common condition is recognized in the medical literature and referred to by several different names, including it’s orthopedic name, Pes Valgo Planus.

Ironically over the last 30 years some medical specialists have been informing patients that you can not treat flat feet with prescription orthotics. The reason physicians are telling patients this is because hard plastic orthotics prescribed by many physicians gave too much correction for a patient with very flat feet to tolerate at first. The patient will discontinue the treatment claiming that they just can not tolerate the device, even wasted their time and money.

If a patient with flat feet does persist until they fully acclimate to “the push” of a non-compressible “custom orthotic device”, they will usually continue to wear that device, or something similar to it, for the rest of their ambulatory life, claiming that they can not walk with out it. Other patients who use “arch supports” purchased “over the counter”, made of far more compressive materials, either identify a small amount of help or no help, and either abandon the treatment or continually look for better supports made form materials that will hold up for longer periods.

With out question the flat foot is a genetic presentation related to foot structure and neuromuscular development. Newborns often present with a very pronated or flat foot configuration. Most of these children who were born with a hyper-pronated, flat arched configuration, respond to the physics of the environment and begin to develop a “good arch” within a year from birth. Some go through adolescence and their adult life with flat feet.

Eventually the poor structure and diminished mechanical function associated with this foot type results in many foot, knee, hip, back and posture problems. Pain observed during all ambulatory, activities can manifest as a variety of chronic foot conditions and deformities.. These chronic arthritic, inflammatory, joint deforming changes that accompany the series of biomechanical movements caused by pronation of the rear part of the foot resulting in a totally flat appearance to the inside arch of the human foot, can virtually cripple the patient and result in significant pain during walking and standing activities.

Treatment for the Flat, Low Arched, or Hyper-pronated Foot Type:

Pronation is a term that refers to the breakdown of the human arch as we stand. Excessive pronation during weight-bearing activity is commonly referred to as flat feet. Most flat feet are flexible and can assume an arched position non-weight bearing. Some flat feet have lost all motion in the joints and are rigidly fixed in the flat position. Orthotics have been used to treat both rigid and flexible flat feet. Non-compressible custom orthotics prescribed by many physicians are not tolerated by most of these patients. Additionally there are a variety of very involved surgical procedures that can have some limited benefit in restoring the arch and decreasing the pain that accompanies arch breakdown. These surgical procedures are complicated and should only be attempted by competent experienced surgeons, and unfortunately have only limited benefits.

Several factors are necessary in order to treat flat feet effectively with arch supports or orthotics. When treatment of the flat foot follows a sequence of specific criteria that involves progressive , continuous, full time support of the long arch, benefits are observed by most all patients. 

• Treatment is most optimal when continued during all weight bearing activity. The treatment needs to be consistent in order for the body to adjust to the change. The ultimate value of the treatment is directly proportional to the amount of time that it is used during ALL weight bearing activities. If the device is only used part time the foot has great difficulty in adjusting to the changes that are created, and the treatment is not only less effective in eliminating pain and other symptoms, but it may never be fully tolerated by the foot. In the same way that effective teaching of a child or animal a new skill requires consistency, so does teaching a foot a new way of walking.
• If treatment is started with too much correction to be tolerable during all weight bearing activity, patients may terminate the treatment before they can acclimate to the new way they are being forced to walk and stand. When treating adult patients with flat feet the treatment needs to start with very low angular correction so that the patient can tolerate the treatment process. Even very low corrections will generate some relief in symptoms and cause the patient to the benefits with use of the device. When treating adult patients with flat feet the treatment needs to start with very low angular correction so that the patient can tolerate the treatment process.
• If treatment is not increased as the patient adjusts to lower correction levels insufficient benefits may occur and the treatment discontinued. Once a patient fully acclimates to their starting correction level, sufficient correction will produce obvious benefits, and the patient will continue the treatment. He recognizes the value in wearing the device, but will ultimately desire more help. Every time the correction is increased 5 degrees of theta, the benefits are increased significantly. If the patient increases correction when they are ready for it the treatment becomes far more valuable and the patient is much more likely to continue with the treatment.
• The treatment process requires persistence on the part of the patients. The longer the patient has walked the wrong way with the arch breaking down, the longer it will take for it to learn the new way. If the patient discontinues the treatment before the benefits of decreased pain and improved function out weight the discomfort of acclimating to this new way of walking, the patient will quit and claim that the treatment will not work for them. If the patient persists long enough, any effort to discontinue the treatment will be met with increased pain, and will then motivate the patient to continue the treatment on a full time basis.
• Theta-Orthoics come in seven levels of theta correction from 10 degrees all the way up to 40 degrees. Using the measurement techniques defined by theta geometry no other foot supporting arch correcting orthotic type device has more than 22 degrees of theta correction. More importantly because no one else has ever quantified angular correction correctly they can not tell you how much their device has or which device might even be a little better. Progressive theta correction is absolutely necessary in order to achieve the full benefits that most patients with flat feet want and need.

If you are not sure how Theta-Orthotics can help you treat your painful flat feet, read more of our pages or call and speak with one of our treatment specialists, you owe that much to yourself. Toll Free 1-800-558-4382  8 AM - 8 PM MST 7 days per week.

Riverton, Utah