Obese Kids Tend to be Flatfooted

Obese children are likely to have flatter feet compared to their normal-weight counterparts. Researchers speculate that this is due to a problem in their foot’s bone structure as well as extra fat. Flatfooted individuals have low arches on the inside of their feet. To test if you are flatfooted, simply wet your feet. Now stand on a flat surface. If it leaves a complete footprint, you are flatfooted.
For this study, the researchers examined the feet of 150 children aged 6 to 10, half of whom are obese and the other half thinner children. This study was published in the International Journal of Obesity.
When we were babies and toddlers, we had flatfeet. But as we age, the arch on the inside of our foot will develop. However, obese children tend to retain the flatfoot condition. This is assumed to be due to their excess weight, which creates the “fallen” arch.

The other possibility that researchers have looked into is that overweight children have more fat deposited in their feet. This results in lowered arches. This could become a problem for them, which may include foot, back or ankle pain.

Lead researcher Dr. Diane L. Riddiford-Harland of the University of Wollongong said the condition does not need any special therapy. Rather, arch supports placed as soles in shoes can do the trick.
The researchers, however, added that further study is needed to determine if the overweight condition could affect the children’s feet health in the long run.

Foot Problems Linked with Diabetes

Millions of people around the world have diabetes. Unfortunately, quite a handful of them do not know they have it. Diabetes is a very serious disease that can lead to several complications such as kidney failure, limb amputation, heart attack and stroke, blindness and impotence, among others. But did you know that diabetes can also lead to foot problems?

Dr. Claire Morbery is an endocrinologist who specializes in dealing diabetes. She said the blood vessels to our feet are delicate and are highly sensitive to increased levels of blood sugar.
“People with diabetes, particularly if it is poorly controlled, are more prone to develop neuropathy [damaged nerves] or peripheral vascular disease [blocked arteries] of the legs and either can lead to foot ulceration, infection and maybe even amputation,” Dr. Morbery explained. “Cigarette smoking will aggravate these problems.”

However, not all people will exhibit foot problems as symptoms of diabetes, Dr. Morbery added. She suggests good feet hygiene, regular checkups and a regular lookout for diabetes.
Here are a few steps on how to take good care of your feet to avert any foot-related disease or complication:

• Always visit a podiatrist for your foot-related condition. In all other circumstances, have them checked regularly, say once a year.

• Know your feet. If you notice something odd with them, seek professional as soon as possible. If practicable, apply ointments or any medication to suppress any complication. As much as possible, consult your doctor regarding your foot medication.

• Always maintain proper foot hygiene. Wash them with soap and water. Check them regularly for cuts, blisters, swelling, redness or pus discharge. Also, wear clean socks every day.

Dealing with Foot Swelling and Pain during Pregnancy

Pregnant women go through a lot of changes during those nine months of baby-carrying. Morning sickness, nausea and hormonal changes are just some of the common unfortunate circumstances that they will experience during this time. In addition to those conditions, preggies experience aching feet.
When these expectant mommas gain weight, swelling and instability in their feet sets in. In turn, this causes soreness and strain on their feet.

Marybeth Crane, DPM, FACFAS, is a foot and ankle surgeon. She relates that more pregnant women are experiencing foot swelling and pain. “In the last five years, I’ve seen an increase in pregnant women with foot pain because more women than ever before are active, even running marathons, during their pregnancies.”

Nevertheless, foot pain and swelling can be easily addressed and treated. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) offers the following pointers for pregnant women to help ease foot pain and avert further injuries.


Painful and Swollen Feet: Throbbing discomfort is usually attributed to the buildup of excess fluid in the feet. To reduce the swelling, ACFAS advises preggies to put their feet up, stretch them regularly and frequently, wear comfortable shoes and avoid crossing the legs when sitting.

Foot Cramps: Blood volume and progesterone levels increase during pregnancy. This results in cramping. To minimize foot cramps, increase blood circulation in the feet. Stretch, rotate and move them about. Try elevating them when sitting. A nice leisurely walk around the neighborhood block will help do the trick against persistent cramping. Again, don’t forget to stretch before you stride.

Foot Exercises for People with Flatfeet

Having flatfeet is a condition known as pes planus. You can tell if you are flatfooted. Try putting your bare foot on a flat surface. If your foot bends naturally at its arch, that’s normal. However, if the arch of your foot collapses and touches the flat surface, you may be flatfooted.

The flatfeet condition is not really a debilitating disorder. However, there are instances where flatfeet cause discomfort when running, walking or simply standing for long periods. To correct this condition, there are exercises that you can try to help rebuild the arches of your feet.

Pick Me Up: Place objects, say cotton balls, on the floor. Using your foot, pick up the items and drop them into a container, such as a basket. Doing this helps flex the muscles of your foot.

Tips for the Toe: The object of this exercise is to tiptoe, which is walking on the toes and balls of your feet. Tiptoeing helps build the curves and arches of our feet.

Toe Curl-Up: Sit or lie down with your feet lifted off the floor. Curl your toes upward then release. Repeat this until you feel some pressure on your feet.

You can also engage in running or walking exercises designed to correct flatfeet. To start off, pick out shoes or footwear that are designed and best-suited for flatfeet. Look for shoes that offer good support and comfort. Before performing these exercises, you might want to consult an expert.

What Causes Metatarsal Pain?

The metatarsal is thbaall of your foot, where the five bones between your ankle and toes converge. This is serves an important function of sharing the weight when you walk, run or stand. Being the most used part of the foot, it is the most vulnerable to problems.

Athletes are prone to metatarsal pain, particularly those who do a lot of running. Experts agree that one of the common causes is improper walking, running or ill positioning of the feet. Putting too much pressure on your metatarsals can result in pain. Another common reason for metatarsal pain is wearing ill-fitting shoes.
Metatarsal pain may also result from these following causes:

Metatarsalgia: This occurs when the metatarsal nerves become inflamed. One of the prominent symptoms is sharp and tingling pain in the ball of your foot. Also, people will experience severe pain when walking or standing if they have this condition.

Arthritis: This is common among people 40 years and older. It is characterized by sharp sensations due to inflammation of the joints. Metatarsal pain is one of the symptoms of arthritis.

Diabetes: This disease opens the floodgates for many disorders. One of them is metatarsal pain, which is caused by poor blood circulation in the feet.

Osteoarthritis: One of the signs of aging is the breaking down of bone and joint cartilage. Accordingly, this disorder is common among the elderly and is characterized by pain and discomfort when moving the joints, especially after long periods of rest.

The pain of walking on flat feet when you are a high-heel wearer

There must be something transforming about high-heel shoes that makes women want to wear them despite the killer heels’ notoriety. Plantarflexion, or the lifting of the heels by the ball of the foot through the action of the calf muscles, creates a more pronounced lordosis, or arching of the back. The result is a sexier, confident forward stance.

Researchers in a recent study looked into a condition where high-heel wearers find it uncomfortable, even painful, to walk flat-footed or to switch to flat shoes.

When high heels are being worn, calf muscles are placed in a shortened position. The researchers wondered if chronic or prolonged use of high heels causes structural and functional changes, such as shortening of the calf muscle tissue itself. To test this scenario, the research team studied 11 volunteers who had regularly worn 5-cm heels for two years or more and who felt uncomfortable walking flat-footed. They were compared with nine other women who did not wear high heels.

Using MRI to measure the size of the women’s calf muscles, the researchers found that there was no difference in the calf muscle volume of the two groups. The team then tested the muscle fiber length on ultrasound and saw that high-heel wearers did have 13 percent shorter muscle fibers than those who wore flat shoes. “This confirmed the hypothesis,” says author Marco Narici from Manchester Metropolitan University, “because when you place the muscle in a shorter position, the fibers become shorter.”

The researchers explained that with shortened fibers, the muscles would have to contract more if they were to shorten by the same length. Muscle insufficiency, or the inability to produce enough tension in the calves, prevents optimal function. This begs the question: Had the shortened muscle fibers made it difficult for high-heel wearers to walk efficiently?

The authors then looked at the Achilles tendon, which attaches the calf muscle to the heel bone. The MRI scan showed that the tendon was the same length in the two groups of women. However, they noticed that the tendons were thicker and stiffer among the high-heel wearers. They realized that the tendon thickened and stiffened to compensate for the insufficiency of the calf muscles, allowing optimal function as the high-heel wearers walk. This, however, causes pain or discomfort when walking on flat feet because the stiff tendon cannot stretch sufficiently in this position.

Would the scientists recommend that women kick the high-heels addiction? The lead author of the study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology said he is not advocating against fashion. “This is not intended to scare women off wearing heels, it’s just to make them aware that exercising and stretching their calf muscles can help.” He advises women to do stretching exercises to avoid developing any soreness.

For an effective golf swing: Lose the foot pain to fix the swing, podiatrists say

The feet act like a fulcrum that controls the chain of movements that completes a golf swing. Much like dance steps, there’s a lot of weight shifting through the foot to bring the flow of energy and movement into a graceful follow-through. Good footwork is thus central to an effective swing.

“All timing, distance and direction comes out of the lower body with the feet leading the way,” golf legend Jack Nicklaus has said.

However, when the base of support is defective, as in a foot disorder or injury, the golfer tends to do compensating movements, swaying away from the ideal swing. This causes players to hit way off course, and their game suffers.

Foot pain is a common complaint among golfers, and sometimes they are oblivious that their swing is off. Improper biomechanics and overuse often bring about foot pain and injury. Podiatrists cited neuroma (swollen nerve endings), arthritis of the foot and ankle and falling foot arches as major causes of foot pain.

Pain in the big toe, which is often caused by arthritis, makes it difficult to follow through on a swing as it involves shifting of weight to the front and inside of the foot. Neuromas in the ball of the foot cause pain as a downward swing causes the feet to roll inward and outward. And a falling arch causes the foot to be unstable and lose its proper weight distribution, making a firm stance wobbly upon swing motion.

Foot pain from stress and overuse of foot structures are normally treated by podiatrists with conservative care to allow for quick return to the sport. Treatment may include anti-inflammatory injections, shoe inserts or custom shoes, ice and physical therapy.

For symptoms that do not respond or will recur with first-line management, a simple procedure by a podiatrist will often resolve the problem completely.

Podiatrists recommend preventive measures to avoid foot problems associated with playing golf, such as wearing of well-fitted athletic shoes, simple stretching exercises before taking to the first tee and after leaving the last, and building up playing time gradually and carefully.