Running is hard enough without having to deal with chronic or worsening discomfort in your feet. And while this discomfort can stem from any number of issues, there’s a possibility that it is tied to the specific shape of your foot. If you’re dealing with falling arches or flat feet, you may find that foot pain is starting to become more common during or after a run. In today’s blog, we explain why flat feet can put you at greater risk of foot discomfort when running and how to treat the issue.
Running Pain With Flat Feet
First and foremost, let us say that we don’t want to discourage anyone from running if they have flat feet. Research shows that individuals with flat feet are only slightly more likely to deal with certain foot issues, so don’t let your foot shape deter you from getting regular healthy exercise. You may just have to be a little more proactive in how you work to protect your feet when running.
Medical experts have found that flat feet is associated with a slight uptick in risk for issues like shin splints or patellofermoal pain syndrome. This is because people with flat feet have a tendency to have their feet roll inward, resulting in greater pressure being placed on the heels and knees. When you consider greater load bearing in these areas combined with the repetitive stress of running, and it’s easy to see why your knees, ankles and heel may be at a heightened risk for stress-related injuries.
So what can you do to prevent and treat these concerns so that running isn’t any more uncomfortable than it needs to be? Here’s what we recommend if you want to develop a running routine and you have flat feet:
Get Supportive Shoes – Don’t just throw your feet into any old running shoe. You’ll want a well-fitting shoe with soft soles to support and stabilize the heel. You can even connect with a shoe fitter or a foot and ankle specialist to find a shoe specifically designed for some of the challenges faced by people with fallen arches or flat feet.
Consider Orthotics – For additional support and to contribute to ideal stress distribution across the bottom of your foot, consider adding orthotic inserts to your running shoes. You can opt for a generic shoe designed for individuals with flat feet, or you can get better results by adding a custom insole designed with your personal foot specifications in mind.
Stretch – It’s also quite helpful to stretch prior to your run. Stretching can help to relieve tension on soft tissues whose contraction may contribute to foot pronation, which as we talked about above, can increase the stress on certain areas of your feet when you run. Loosening up those soft tissues can help you have a more ideal running form in spite of your arch issues.
Vary Your Exercise – You can avoid overstressing your arch and related areas by varying your exercise routine. Instead of always going for a run, swap in some other exercises that are less impactful on your feet. Do an upper body workout, a yoga routine or head to the community pool to swim laps once a week. Giving your body ample time to recover after exercise can help to prevent overstress injuries.
Keep these tips in mind, and be sure to connect with an orthopaedic specialist if you’re dealing with new or worsening symptoms tied to a concern in your foot. For more information about developing or building upon an existing running program no matter your foot shape, connect with Dr. Silverman. Get in contact with his office by clicking here.