Every step we take running or walking our feet need to do two exactly opposite movements. They need to be flexible as they make contact with flat or uneven ground and then be rigid enough to left us off the ground again. The flexible part is called pronation, if the foot remains pronated (flexible) as we lift up off the ground, as you would imagine problems occur. As one foot lands on the ground the other foot on the ground goes through a process of increasing the arch height, increasing rigidity (called supination) giving it strength to lift us off the ground. Every foot needs enough supination and enough pronation to function correctly and cause little as possible stress. I have read that about 40% of all feet have just the right proportion of the two. That 10% of people have a high arch so have less pronation than is ideal and lack natural shock absorbency as the foot is more rigid. These people commonly suffer stress fractures and ankle sprains. Then there is the rest of the population 50% pronates too much, the foot is more flexible that is idea.
Hip pain – when your foot pronates it takes the whole leg with it. So when the foot pronates too much your leg rotates internally too much causing pain.
Knee pain – having the knees point toward each other causes knee problems. This knee problem is not the “internal” kind involving something like arthritis but more to do with misalignment which can cause damage and pain. So often when the problem is rectified or at least reduced, so is the pain. Before having surgery it is a good idea to see a foot specialist.
Tendonitis - a number of the muscles of the lower leg stabilize the foot, there are tendons that run down past the ankle into the foot to give it support. So often these tendons have too much stress placed on them. They can rupture, or stretch too much. Tendons that are not functioning properly this is quite common, especially as we get older. It develops little by little over a lifetime, and once the tendons are stretched, the ligaments of the arch stretch too much and tear. The bones of the arch then move out of position because they are not being held in position properly and then top that with the body weight pressing down onto them. The foot rotates inward at the ankle in a movement called pronation. The arch appears collapsed, and the heel bone is tilted towards the inside. The deformity can progress until the foot literally dislocates outward from under the ankle joint!
Plantar faciitis – as the foot flattens it results in an excessive pull on a ligament-like structure called the plantar fascia on the heel bone. This eventually results in inflammation called plantar fasciitis. Any condition with ‘is’ on the end is an inflammatory condition of one description or another.
Bunoins and hammerstoes are caused by an unstable foot. With an unstable foot the multitude of little muscles in the foot itself weaken and stop working properly. This malfunction contributes to hammertoes and bunions.
What can help? Elevating the heel off of the ground actually causes it to pronate less and supinate more. I myself wear a heal almost all the time (it doesn’t have to be a high heal just an inch or two is fine) but if I wear a flat shoes or go bare foot for too long my feet hurt and my leg ache and I get tired. Men will be thinking this is not possible for them to wear heels however it is possible to get a half insole that goes inside your shoes under the heel part only, this will raise your heel. Most pharmacies and drug stores, sell full or half inserts/insoles. A simple and relatively cheap insole can help with excessive pronation and hence with pain or discomfort. If you are in pain it is worth trying the above suggestions before you go to a specialist for the more expensive made-to-measure insoles. In some cases just putting an insole into your shoes that acts as a shock absorber works wonders for easing joint pain.