By Melissa Lockwood, DPM, Heartland Foot
Have you ever noticed the different ways a person’s “footprint” looks when you walk on a wet sandy beach? Much like our fingerprints, our “footprint” can identify you in a variety of ways. For a podiatrist, this means evaluating your foot mechanics and diagnosing the how and why you may have problems with your feet. It’s like CSI – FootTown, USA for foot problems!
When you take a step, your foot typically hits the ground heel first and rolls toward your toes, flattening the arch slightly. As you push off the ball of your foot, your arch springs back and does not touch the ground. That’s how normal feet are supposed to work. The textbook isn’t always right — most of us do not have feet that behave this way when we walk.
There are three basic types of “Feet”:
Flat Feet (Pronation/Planus Foot)
Over-pronation occurs if your foot rolls too much toward the inside. It is seen in the sand by a “flat pancake foot.” Excessive pronation can cause arch strain and pain on the inside of the knee. Under-pronation occurs if your foot rolls too much to the outside. Under-pronation can lead to ankle sprains and stress fractures. You can relieve foot pain by compensating for these tendencies with either medical grade inserts or custom orthotics to control that extra motion.
High Arch (Supination/Cavus Foot)
If there’s little or no connection in your footprint between the front part of the foot and the heel, you under-pronate or have a high arch. This means a lot of your weight is landing on the outside edge of your foot. Ask for “stability” athletic shoes, which are built with extra cushioning to remedy this problem. If you are prone to ankle sprains, wear high-top athletic shoes that cover the foot and ankle snugly to minimize damage from twists. If the problem continues, you may need a specialized ankle brace to further support you from more injuries.
“Normal” Foot (Rectus Foot)
Not many of us are blessed with this foot type!! Even with the ‘normal’ diagnosis, we all need to be aware of the potential mechanical faults (tight calf muscles, stress fracture potential, etc) that can affect our feet.
Being evaluated for your foot type is critical as it can alleviate a lot of “footaches” later on!
For more information about your “Footprint,” please contact
Dr. Lockwood at Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates at
309-661-9975 or visit www.heartlandfootandankle.com.
Photo credit: Simon Dannhauer/Thinkstock