Ruth Ann Cooper, D.P.M

Many adults complain of having painful feet due to "fallen arches", but is it true that years of wear and tear on the feet can actually cause arches to flatten over time?

Flatfoot in adults is a complex disorder with varying symptoms and degrees of severity. Although several types of flatfoot exist, they all have one characteristic in common--partial or total collapse of the arch.

Adult flexible flatfoot, one of the most common types of flatfoot, is the clinical condition often referred to as "fallen arches". Adult flexible flatfoot typically begins in childhood or adolescence and continues into adulthood. The condition usually occurs in both feet and generally progresses in severity throughout the adult years. As the deformity worsens, soft tissues (tendons and ligaments) of the arch may stretch or tear and can become inflamed, causing pain.

Symptoms that often accompany adult flexible flatfoot include pain in the heel, arch, ankle or along the outside of the foot; turned-in ankle; pain associated with shin splint and general weakness/fatigue in the foot or leg.