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Flat feet - Symptom

Alternative Names

Pes planovalgus; Fallen arches; Pronation of feet; Pes planus

Symptoms:

Most flat feet do not cause pain or other problems.

At times, foot pain, ankle pain, or lower leg pain are present (especially in children). They should be evaluated by a health care provider.

Adults may notice some symptoms. Their feet may become achy or tired when standing for long periods of time or after playing sports.

Signs and tests:

In people with flat feet, the instep of the foot comes in contact with the ground when they stand.

The health care provider will ask you to stand on your toes. If an arch forms while you are standing on your toes, the flat foot is called flexible. No treatment or further work-up is needed.

If the arch does not form with toe-standing (caled rigid flat feet), or if there is pain, other tests may be needed, including:

CT scan to look at the bones in the foot
MRI scan to look at the tendons in the foot
X-ray of the foot

Reviewed last on: 2/19/2011
C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Associate Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Hosalkar HS, Spiegel DA, Davidson RS. The foot and toes. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap. 673.

Wexler D, Kile TZ, Grosser DM. Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap. 87.

Foot pain

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