Insoles for Flat Feet

The arch of each foot allows the foot to flex so that you can move more efficiently. It makes your gait more flexible, improves balance when moving or standing and absorbs shocks.

Why an Insole for Flat Feet is Needed

If your arches are not properly raised, your feet will appear flat and so your mobility and flexibility will be impaired. This can result in a strain on joints and cause pain that needs to be addressed with arch support for flat feet.

The Causes of Flat Feet & How Flat Arch Foot Support will Resolve the Problems

To get the best insoles for flat feet, you need to know how the condition occurs and the type of problem you have. We all have flat feet when we’re born but the arches generally develop as we grow. Sometimes that doesn’t happen because our feet don’t grow properly and this is often a genetic condition so that many in the family will have flat feet.

In some cases, flat feet will develop later in life and this condition is commonly known as fallen arches or acquired flat feet. This can be due to:

• the natural ageing process as tendons stretch
• obesity or weight gain, possibly due to pregnancy, since this puts more pressure on the feet
• a traumatic injury, such as tearing a tendon or dislocating bones
• inflammation in the joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis
• decreased blood supply to the feet
• diabetes that affects the nerves or weakens tendons.

Flat feet can cause foot pain, tired feet, swollen ankles and backache. They can also result in an excessive rolling inward of the foot (overpronation) and make you place your feet on the ground incorrectly, which can make existing hip and knee pains worse and generally inhibit your movements.

You can gain some relief by applying ice packs, undergoing surgery to repair tendons, losing weight and practising various exercises to stretch and strengthen tendons and muscles. Wearing arch support insoles will also correct a lot of the problems associated with flat feet.

How to Get the Best Orthotics for Flat Feet

To obtain the best insole for flat feet, you need to understand the type of flat feet you have:

• rigid flat feet are always flat whether you put weight on them or not
• flexible flat feet have an arch when there is no weight put on them but become flat when you stand.

The former normally require supports with a low arch height while the latter generally need an arch of medium height. Arches that are too high may feel uncomfortable, as though you have an obstruction in your shoe. The aim is to achieve comfort as well as support since the right footwear combined with suitable arch supports can give a huge improvement.

Never use cheap foam or gel inserts you can buy off the shelf from a chemist since these won’t provide arch support and won’t relieve pain. Instead, go for the most appropriate firm arch supports that will reduce pain, promote better posture, cure current problems and prevent others from developing.

We have a wide range of arch support insoles to meet every need and can provide help and advice to choose the best ones for you.