Disclaimer

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or

transmitted in any form without an express written permission from the
publisher.

The information provided herein is only meant for educational

purposes only and should not be used to diagnose or treat any
medical condition. It should not also replace any medical advice
during an emergency.

The reader is advised to consult a licensed medical professional for

proper diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition.

The author and publisher of this publication do not accept any responsibility
for any errors and omissions. They are also not liable for any monetary loss,
harm, injury or damage that the reader may experience as a result of using
or misusing the information provided. 2015.

Copyright runningshoesguru.com

All rights reserved.

First Edition 2015.

Summary

Many people struggle with flat feet and some of them do not even know
what it is. All they know is that their feet are slightly different from others
and that they experience lots of discomforts. This book targets those who
may be suffering from this condition.

We begin by explaining what a flat foot is. We then delve deeper and help
you understand this condition. We tell you about the possible causes of this
condition, the symptoms to look out for, how to get the diagnosis and what
to expect during your doctors visit.

Majority of individuals with flat feet are always looking for remedies which
dont seem to be forthcoming. There are exercise that can offer you relief
from the pain and discomfort sometimes associated with having flat feet and
we are going to look at five of those exercises. These exercises are simple
and you can even try them on your own without an instructor.

You dont need to suffer anymore because you can only apply these
exercises and experience amazing results.
Table of Contents

Disclaimer

Summary

Introduction

Chapter 1: Understanding Flat Feet

Running with Flat Feet
Tips for Running with Flat Feet

Chapter 2: Exercises to Improve Your Flat Feet condition

Final Thoughts
Introduction

Having flat feet means the arches in your feet are either low or non-existent.
Normally, the middle part of your foot is normally elevated from the ground
when you are in a standing position. This part of your feet is what is referred
to as the arch.

It can be a bit difficult to notice this condition in young children due to the
fact that their feet normally consist of baby fat and soft tissue. Therefore,
you may notice this as they get older.

On the other hand, there are people who dont develop this arch and this is
what we refer to as the flat feet. Some people inherit this condition from
their parents.

Having flat feet doesnt mean that you are abnormal or that you may
experience a lot of health problems. Many people suffering from this
condition do not experience the problems that sometimes accompany it.

However, for some people, it might cause some pain and discomforts. If you
dont notice any discomfort or pain then you probably have nothing to worry
about but if you do, there are several remedies for that.

Exercises go a long way towards improving this condition and making your
life better. Therefore, that is what well focus on in this book.
Chapter 1: Understanding Flat Feet

You may have heard of flat feet but do not know what it means. This is
normal because most people do not have information on it including those
with flat feet. If you notice that the inside part of your feet are flattened
which makes it possible for the soles of your feet to come in contact with the
floor when in a standing position then you have flat feet.

This condition is very common among many people both children and adults
and it is normally painless. It normally comes about when the arches fail to
develop during the childhood stage. There are other instances where you
might develop flat feet after having an injury. They may also come with old
age.
You might experience some discomforts especially in your knees and ankles
and this is due to the fact that this condition has the ability to make some
alterations with regard to how your feet are aligned.

A flat foot is also known as a fallen arch. Pes planus is the medical term
used to refer to this condition. There are instances where the arch becomes
flat only when one is in a standing position and then it goes back to normal
when the foot is not on the ground.

This is known as having flexible flat foot or flexible pes planus. However, if
you notice that you dont have the arch in both feet while in standing or
elevated position then you have rigid flat foot or rigid pes planus.

Flexible Flat foot

Generally, babies are born without a normal arch. Therefore, it is normal to

come across young children with flexible flat feet. Research shows that the
arch in a babys foot may take time to form and it fully develops when a
child is between 7-10 years old. Further studies reveal that actually 15%-
25% of adults have the flexible flat feet. This percentage of people does not
develop symptoms.

Most of the adults who have grown up with this condition from their
childhood inherited it from their parents. You will notice that the joints of
such individuals are very flexible and mobile throughout their body with the
exception of their feet. It is also possible to develop this condition during
adulthood.

There are different causes of flexible flat feet and examples include
rheumatoid arthritis and disorders related to nerve function.
Rigid flat foot

This condition is normally brought about by a major problem that interferes

with how the bones making up the arch in your feet are aligned or
structured. These are some of the things that might cause rigid flat feet.

Congenital vertical talus. Here, there is no proper alignment of the

foot bones. There are instances where one has a reverse curve instead
of the normal arch.

The reverse curve basically resembles the rails found on the bottom
part of a rocking chair. This condition is very rare and normally
presents itself at birth. It can result from a number of disorders such
as Down syndrome and various congenital disorders.

Tarsal coalition. This condition is normally inherited and it is also

referred to as peroneal spastic flat foot. It develops as a result of a
minimum of two bones fusing together which then prevents maximum
flexibility of the foot.

In addition to that, it also eliminates the normal arch. This condition is

also rare and studies show that it can affect a number of generations
of a family. Therefore, it can be inherited.

Lateral subtalar disclocation. This condition is also referred to as an

acquired flat foot. This is due to the fact that one is not born with it
but develops it later on.

You might be born with a normal foot arch and then your talus bone
gets dislocated. This might cause you to develop an acquired flat foot
since the talus bone is found within the arch of your foot.

When the talus bone is dislocated, it moves from its normal position
and goes downwards and sideways which makes the arch collapse.
This can be caused by a high-impact injury especially from a fall,
sports, motor vehicle accident. Fractures and other injuries can also
result in this condition.
Running with Flat Feet

Running requires a significant amount of feet movement and involves

exerting various leg muscles. If you have flat feet then running may become
painful.

This is normally brought about by over-pronation. Pronation refers to the

usual rolling of your foot towards the end of each step you take. The
problem comes in when there is over pronation in which case your feet rolls
inwards too much and exceeds the point essential for shock absorption.

When it exceeds this point, your ankle joints become extended and result
into inward rotation of your upper and lower leg bones. This exerts stress on
your ankles, knee joints, hips and lower leg muscles and can cause pain.

If you are a runner and you experience frequent over-pronation then you are
likely to develop back problems, knee tendonitis and shin splints.
Having flat feet does not directly cause pain. Instead, it makes you
susceptible to over-pronation which causes the pain.

Therefore, there are runners with flat feet who dont have problems due to
the fact that they dont over-pronate.

If you are a runner with flat feet, you dont need to stop doing what you
love. Instead, you need to get running shoes that will reduce the possibility
of over-pronation.

Stability and motion control shoes refer to running shoes that are purposely
designed for this function. These shoes have firm midsoles that are able to
prevent too much pronation. There are different brands and you can choose
the one you are comfortable with.

If the level of over-pronation you experience when running is between mild

and moderate then you require stability shoes. However, if you have a
heavier stride and experience severe pronation then you need to get motion
control shoes.
Tips for Running with Flat Feet

People with flat feet sometimes experiences pain when running especially in
their legs, lower back and feet. When you are a runner with flat feet then
you might find it challenging to deal with the physical symptoms that
accompany this condition.

The fact that your feet do not have enough flexibility and strength means
that you are prone to pain and discomfort. However, many runners with flat
feet have continued to do what they love and found a way of overcoming
these challenges.

These are some of the tips you can apply when running with flat feet.

Support your ankles and feet

It is important for your ankles and feet to have enough support when you
are running. The best way to do this is to wear orthotic arch support inserts
inside your running shoes.

We mentioned that your feet tend to over-pronate when running particularly

if you have flat feet. The arch support insoles provide your foot and ankle
with the additional support they need and prevents over-pronation.
Orthotic shoe inserts work by slowly realigning your muscles and tendons.
Therefore, they can put your feet back into an arched position.

There are different types of orthotic shoe inserts you can wear depending on
how severe your condition is.

This is why you need to work with a podiatrist who will be able to determine
the right arch support for you. There are conditions that require a minimalist
approach.

Engage in simple exercises to rebuild your arches

You can try to rebuild your arches as a way of improving your condition.
There are simple exercises recommended for this and an example is the toe
curls.

We are going to look to how to perform some of these exercises in the next
chapter. However, you should just keep in mind that exercises will go a long
way towards improving your condition.

Run on level ground

Another way of preventing over-pronation when running is to run on level

ground. The fact that you have flat feet means that your feet tend to run
outward in the process of running and this makes your legs twist inward.

The lower leg which includes your ankles and knee joints then gets a lot of
pressure from this kind of dysfunction and this can lead to pain. Therefore,
you can decide to run on a flat terrain to minimize over-pronation and you
wont experience the pain.

Barefoot exercises in the gym

A new trend has emerged which is, engaging in barefoot exercises in the
gym. This has become so popular especially among those who dont like the
orthopedic supports.

There are runners who have experienced success with this routine. This
barefoot exercise gives you the chance to work out and to let your feet relax
from trainers for some time.
Podiatrists and Chiropodists advise runners and anyone struggling with flat
feet to stay barefoot for as long as they can. You can do this when walking
around the house, in your garden and so on.

Having your feet stuck in shoes particularly poorly fitted ones for a long time
will make your foot muscles unfit and this will further weaken your arches.
Staying barefoot helps to prevent this and helps you to run better and with
no pain.
Chapter 2: Exercises to Improve Your Flat
Feet condition

You may require surgery if your flat feet condition is very severe. This
normally involves procedures referred to as arthrodesis and osteotomies and
they help to correct your foot posture. There is even a procedure that
involves the use of an implant to provide support to your arch.

However, these procedures are usually accompanied by possible

complications in addition to the fact that they are extremely expensive and
some people may not be able to afford them. This is why you should first try
the conservative methods before you opt for them.

All you need is the appropriate footwear and a great self-care program to
help reduce the pain experienced when running. These are some of the tips
you can apply to achieve that.
According to fitness experts with the knowledge of exercises for flat feet,
these exercises improve the strength, resilience and co-ordination of your
foot.

You get the chance to work every part of each muscle which all work
together towards flexing, toning and reinforce your arch. There are barefoot
exercises that improve your body awareness since they focus on the way
your body lands when you are walking.

When you have mastered this, you will avoid running and landing on your
heel and instead focus on doing that on the sole of your foot. This will
greatly reduce your chances of sustaining injuries since there will be less
impact on your joints.

When you visit a podiatrist, he or she will recommend an exercise that

caters to your specific needs. However, you can practice these exercises
provided you want to enhance your foot strength and flexibility.
Towel curl

You can perform this exercise while seated on a chair. Place a towel on the
floor and then stretch your bare feet on it. Make sure that your feet are flat
on the towel. Your knees should also be at an angle of 90o above your
ankles.

Begin curling your toes in order to have the towel under your toes. Start
pulling the towel in your direction and make sure you use all your toes to do
this.

You can repeat this exercise ten times before doing a reverse motion. In the
reverse motion, you can try pushing the towel away from you after holding it
with your towel. Do this ten times too.
Toe taps

This involves lifting your toes off the floor while making sure your heel is on
the floor. In addition to that, the outside four toes should be up in the air
leaving only the big toe to tap the floor.

After this, you can change the order and keep your big toe in the air while
you tap the other four.

You can begin by doing about 10 taps and then keep on adding the number
of taps until a time when you are able to do 50 taps in one session.
Rolling out your feet

This rock and roll exercise is important in enhancing the strength and
flexibility of your ankle.

You need to begin this exercise with your feet flat on the floor. The next
thing you need to do is to start rolling your feet outwards and then rolling
them inwards to enable you stand on the interior part of your foot.

When you do this about 12 times a day, you will notice major improvements
in your condition.
Calf stretch

This exercise will enable you to recover from the pain associated with flat
feet and youll be able to run comfortably. In addition to that, it actually
helps to prevent injury and to restore a variety of motion.

You can begin by leaning against a wall and have your back knee locked.
Start pressing forward until you feel a stretch in your calf muscle.

It is very important to avoid straining yourself when doing this. Therefore,

make sure you dont feel any pain at all. When you feel the stretch, you can
hold it for about 15-30 seconds. You can repeat this exercise about thrice for
each calf.
Frozen bottle roll

This exercise involves placing a frozen water bottle beneath the arch of your
feet and rolling it.

You should start rolling it from your heel all the way to your mid-arch.
Final Thoughts

If you have been suffering from the pain and discomfort associated with
having flat feet then you have found a remedy by reading this book. These
exercises are simple yet they can go a long way towards improving this
condition.

What we are advocating for is quite simple and straightforward; you dont
need any drugs or special equipment to find relief from your pain.

However, it is always advisable to first visit a doctor to get a proper

diagnosis in order to avoid treating the wrong condition and probably making
things worse.

Once it has been confirmed that you are indeed suffering from flat feet then
you can talk to your doctor about these exercises you are considering and
get his opinion. When he gives you the green light then you are free to
start the exercises.

It will require dedication on your part but that will get easier after a few
attempts when you experience a great amount of relief.

You have the power to stop the pain and discomfort you are going through.
All the best as you try out the exercises.

Yours Sincerely,

Running Shoes Guru.