If you have a perfect foot, then you are rare!
Not many people have what would be referred to as the “perfect foot.” In fact, studies have shown that less than 10 percent of the entire world population has ‘normal’ feet. By ‘normal,’ of course, we mean a foot that does not require any special care or support when body weight is applied.
Your feet are the base of your skeleton, and the support for your whole body. This means if your feet are tilted –or not straight, this will impact the rest of you as well.
Knowing what kind of feet you have can help you to ensure you get the right inserts or orthotic supports for your feet –which will be extremely beneficial for keeping your feet healthy and in good shape.
Pronated Feet
Pronated feet are the most common structural problems. This type of foot in characterized by a falling arch, and flattens out when weight is added to it. Pronated feet can be caused by a number of different conditions, but for runners or people who are active sports –it carries the risk of potential long-term damage if it’s not addressed.
Flat Feet
Flat feet occur when arches don’t develop properly during childhood. Flat feet, as the name suggests, means that you have no arch and your foot is flat. Unlike pronated feet, flat feet remain flat with or without weight applied. Flat feet can cause pain in your heels and arches as well as in your back.
High Arch
A high arch means that your arch is a condition in which the arch of your foot is higher than normal. This shape causes an excessive amount of weight to be placed on the ball of the foot and not evenly distributed. A high arch can be detected by making a foot print of your foot. If your arch is high then you will only be able to see parts of your footprint, not all of it.
Normal Feet
If you are among the 10 percent of the population, congratulations! Normal feet appear the same in the air as they do on the ground. The arch doesn’t change depending on if there is weight applied or not.
If you don’t have ‘normal’ feet, don’t worry –there’s a lot that you can do to ensure that your feet get the support they need. Consider investing in some high-quality inserts that are designed for the shape of your foot –for extra support. Wearing good shoes is also a great place to start. If you’re experiencing foot pain or discomfort, talk with your podiatrist or doctor to help determine the course of action that will benefit you the most.
For foot treatment in Houston, Texas contact Dr. Lamarra of Shepherd Square Podiatry today.