• The toes and front part of the foot point outward called the Toe drift.
• The ankle appears to turn in with the heel tilting toward the outside.
• Appear knuckle feet  when observed over the length of the feet

People with Arthritis or Diabetes or general obesity increases the risk of developing Flat Foot. One of the common types of flat foot is Flexible Flat foot. It starts in childhood or teenage and develops in adulthood. It develops in both feet  

Flexible Flatfoot
Flexible flatfoot is  the most common type of foot problem. It also begins in childhood or adolescence and continues into adulthood causes serious problem like pain fatigue while walking or working. It  occurs in both feet and  progresses throughout the adult years. As the proble worsens, the tendons and ligaments (soft tissues) of the arch will tear and can become inflamated.

The word "flexible" means while we stand the foot is flat  on our body weight and the arch returns when we are not standing. During beginning of flexible flatfoot problem ,arthritis will not restrict the motion of the arch and foot, but in the later stages arthritis may develop to such an extent the person will feel stiff in the arch and foot.

Symptoms for flexible flatfoot, include:

• person will feel Pain in the  arch, ankle, heel or along the outside of the foot.
• foot with "Turned-in" ankle.
• Pain is noticed in shin splint.
• weakness/fatigue in the foot and leg  

Finding Flexible Flatfoot                                     

After diagnosing flatfoot, the Orthopedic  Physician examines the foot shape and keenly observes how it shows when patient stand and sit. X-rays are prescribed to understand the severity of the problem. If you have flexible flatfoot but you don't have any pain, your Orthopedic Physician will explain in detail what you might expect to happen in the future.

Treatment Options
If you have pain with flexible flatfoot, the Orthopedic Physician may explain various treatment options, which include:

• Reduced activity. Reduce your activities so that they bring down pain and completely stop distant walk or long time standing to give your arches strain.
• Reduce weight. Check your weight, Reducing once weight will solve 90% of flat foot problem. Putting on  weight will deform your arches and that may aggravate your symptoms like shooting pain, burning sensation in foot and fatigue in legs.

• Reduce movement of ankle. In few patients, it is good to use a walking cast or to eliminate weight-bearing.
• Medicine.  Drugs which are called Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, will help to control pain and inflammation.
• Physical treatment. Ultrasound  or any other physical therapy under supervision can  provide good relief.
• Footwear modifications. Footwear with Ortho's support the arches is important for anyone who has flatfoot.
• Surgery. Some patients who suffer more pain from long time, the surgery is the last option 

Flatfoot Surgery option
Many surgical procedure is there to correct flexible flatfoot. Your case may require one procedure or a combination of procedures. All of these surgical procedures are aimed at removing the symptoms completely and supporting foot function. Few procedures are like tendon movement or tendon streaching procedures, realignment of bones, bone joint fusions, or insertion of implant devices.

Deciding the procedure or combination of procedures for your problem, the Orthopedic  surgeon will take all the details of your problem based on the x-ray reports, age, life style and physical activity and any other health factors. Recovery period will vary, depending on the the type of surgery.  

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