Did you know that 25 percent of your bones are in your feet? The human foot is an intricate structure housing 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, several tendons, and 19 different muscles. These various components work together in order to make the foot move. Statistics show 6 percent of the United States population suffers from foot injuries such as flat feet. Even though flat foot is not one of the more common foot related problems, it doesn't hurt to learn more about it.

What is Flat Feet, Anyway?

Flat feet is a congenital condition where the soles of the feet have no arches. Depending on the severity, there can be a little bit of arch or no arch at all. It is also fairly common for this condition to be referred to as "falling arches".

As there is no cure for this condition, taking care of your feet is a necessity. Conditions such as Plantar Fasciitis are common, where the plantar tendon gets inflamed in the bottom of the foot. This causes a lot of pain, especially when getting up in the morning. If left untreated, it can lead to a must for surgery in order to regain full use of the foot. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to avoid Plantar Fasciitis.

Wear Proper Shoes: Your shoes should be the first line of defense. For example, look for shoes that have a straight bottom instead of a curve. Feel free to give your shoes a stress test regardless of how they look. Bend them with your hands. If you can bend them with your hands, they are no good for your feet.

Extra Arch Support: Whether or not your shoe gives you enough support, consider extra arch supports that fit inside your shoes.

Lose Weight: Being overweight puts a lot of stress on your feet. It is important to eat a healthy diet. For exercise, choose activities that are not strenuous on the feet like bike riding or even swimming.

Exercises and Stretches: Another cause of Plantar Fascitis is tight calf muscles. For this, daily exercise will be good to stretch the hamstrings in the back of the legs. One such exercise is a wall push up. Instead of doing a push up, you stand with one foot in front of the other. Take turns with each foot being stretched forward a few times.

If the condition does not improve, other actions may need to be taken. Cortisone shots may be given in order to relax the area. As a last result, surgery will be considered. These treatment options should be discussed with your doctor., such as High Desert Foot & Ankle Clinic - Wonsik Y Bollmann DPM.