Been told you need foot orthotics?
The below exercises recommended by our Sports Physio and Exercise Physiologist, here at myPhysioSA, will help to manage your flat feet possibly without the need for orthotics.
Flat feet (or pronated feet) is a common problem. Many people don’t get any pain from their flat feet, but they could be causing some of your ankle, knee, hip or back problems.
It’s important to do the below exercises to stretch out the tightness caused by having flat feet and to strengthen the arch of the foot.
Having flat feet means you have less shock absorption, leading to more pressure being put onto your achilles, calf, knee, hip or even your back. If your feet aren’t shock absorbing than something else needs to, leading to overloading somewhere else, especially if you play a running sport.
Do the exercises 3 times per week. Hold the stretches for 1 minute. For the strength exercises do 2 sets of 10 repetitions.
Ensure there is no pain during or after the exercises. If there is, then cease immediately and seek our help.
Arch muscle strength exercise
- Sit down and cross your involved foot over the other thigh.
- Wrap a band around your foot.
- With your hands, raise your foot up.
- Lower the foot back to the starting position slowly against the pull of the band.
Toe curls
- Sit up straight in a chair with a towel placed under your forefoot.
- Curl and release your toes so as to pull the towel towards you.
- Keep your heel on the ground.
- To progress, place a weight on the towel.
Heel raise with scrunch
- Place the ball of the involved foot on a step on a towel.
- Scrunch the towel with your toes and lower the heel toward the ground below horizontal.
- To go up, use only the opposite leg then transfer all the weight to the involved leg and lower again.
Calf stretch
- Stand up on a step, placing only your forefeet on it.
- Lower your heels until you feel a stretch in your calves.
- Maintain the position and relax.
- NOTE: You can perform this exercise with just one leg by lifting the other foot up.
Plantar fascia stretch
- Stand in front of a wall.
- Extend your toes against the wall and try to bring your knee towards the wall until you feel a gentle stretch under the foot.
- Maintain the position and relax.
Plantar fascia muscle release
- Sit on a straight back chair with one foot on a tennis ball, the other foot flat on the floor and you back in neutral position (slightly arched).
- Roll the ball under your arch of the foot.
Written by Tom Peters, Sports Physio & Exercise Physiologist, Jack Elseworthy from our myPhysioSA Payneham clinic
All images courtesy of Physiotec, exercise software.