Definition:
Flatfeet or also known as Pes planovalgus, is a condition where the arch or instep of the foot collapses and comes in contact with the ground. This arch never develops in some individuals.
Diagnosis:
If pain is experienced associated with flatfeet, X-rays are necessary. A CT-scan meanwhile is often ordered is a tarsal coalition is suspected. The doctor may recommend a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) if a posterior tibial tendon injury is suspected.
Treatment:
If a person with flatfeet does not experience pain, it can be left untreated. An orthotic or an arch supporting insert in the shoe meanwhile can bring relief to those with painful flatfeet. If initial treatments do not improve the pain, surgery may be necessary to either resect the fused bone or actually completely fuse several bones in a corrected position. Surgery in advanced cases entails cleaning and repairing the tendon. It may also mean fusing some of the joints of the foot in a corrected position in very advanced cases.
Symptoms and Signs:
The symptoms of flatfeet include the absence of longitudal arch of foot when standing, foot pain, and heel tilts away from the midline of the body more than usual.
Causes:
Flatfeet are a common condition and are even normal among children. Infants and children do not have a longitudal arch since it develops in childhood and by adulthood. There are children though who suffer from painful flat feet and this condition is called tarsal condition. It is when two or more of the bones in the foot fuse together, limiting motion and often leading to a flat foot. Flat feet is often associated with pronation, a leaning inward of the ankle bones toward the center line.
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