Trying to find shoes to fit flat feet can prove challenging. The insides can rub against the bottom of your foot, and you may experience pain in the heel with each step. Dr. Joseph A. Stuto and Dr. Joseph C. Stuto offers an array of treatment options for podiatry patients at their practice, Stuto Foot Specialist Podiatry, in Brooklyn, NY.

What are flat feet? 
Flat feet occur when your arches fall or you have little-to-no arches. Some individuals are born with flat feet and others have very flexible feet, and so their arches spread readily with each step. Many people that have flat feet do not experience discomfort.

How do I know I need treatment? 
Some patients may find that their flat feet are causing them more pain than they would like. This pain can be found in the foot, or in the lower back, and even the hips.

Here are some reasons why you might seek treatment for your flat feet: 

• Pain in the bottom of the foot in the morning or after standing for long periods.
• Overpronation of the foot.
• Running or jumping on hard surfaces without any support.
• Weak foot muscles.
• Arthritis
• Flat feet at birth
• Obesity
• Pregnancy

What are my treatment options?

Wearing orthotics to support the foot, doing exercises to strengthen the whole foot, and managing your weight if necessary are all ways to alleviate pain caused by flat feet.

While taking over the counter medication may alleviate acute soreness, chronic pain usually needs another treatment plan. In certain cases, you may need surgery to correct any structural imbalances in the foot that are causing it to flatten. Flat feet can be managed and treated.

Contact Dr. Stuto and Dr. Stuto at Stuto Foot Specialists Podiatry, in Remsen St, Brooklyn, NY, at (718) 624-7537, or our 7th Avenue at (718) 567-1403.