In the beginning of the process of working to strengthen my arches, I made the startling discovery that the issue of having flat feet goes well beyond the bottom of the foot. After all, the feet serve as the basis of the body. They offer the body the necessary support for activities such as standing, walking, and running.
There is a lot of evidence to suggest that the knees, hips, and pelvis are affected by events that take place at a lower level in the body, namely at the level of the foot. It has also been stated that the effects go as far as the head, which is something I have witnessed.
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The Extent to Which the Symptoms of Flat Feet Can Be Felt Above the Foot
A number of studies have demonstrated that an inward rotation of the lower leg occurs when the foot pronates (collapses in). This results in the thigh and hip rotating inwards as a result.
When you progress to the next part, you should notice that the front of your pelvis is lowering as a result of the inward rotation of your leg. The term “anterior pelvic tilt” refers to this rotation of the pelvis in a forward direction.
In most cases, an increased curvature of the low back can be observed in conjunction with an anterior pelvic tilt.
Because of the connection that exists between the various parts of the body, there is a possibility that having flat feet might be a contributing factor in a condition such as back discomfort.
The judgment is still out on whether or not having flat feet truly causes issues in other parts of the body, despite the fact that there is a possibility of a relationship between the two. I haven’t seen a lot of research that establishes a definite connection between flat feet and injuries or discomfort in other places, so I can’t say for sure that there is one.
There is some evidence that flat feet are associated with knee pain and arthritis; however, the study does not establish that there is a cause and effect link. Flat feet are associated with knee pain and arthritis.
What Role Does This Have in Correcting Flat Feet?
My flat feet have never caused me any significant discomfort, with the exception of some minor problems with plantar fasciitis and soreness on the tops of my feet.
When I entered my thirties, I started to feel some apprehension about the possibility that my flat arches and overpronation may cause issues with my ankles or tendons.
Nevertheless, the thing that truly worried me was the impact that all of this was having on the joints located higher up. It was quite evident that the manner in which my arches dropped was having an effect on both my knees and my hips.
This idea of how different parts of the body are connected to one another proved really helpful to me as I was working on improving my posture by strengthening my arches.
The degree to which the foot pronates, or rolls inward, may often be determined by looking at where the heel is located. Thus, I began instructing myself on how to get into and keep a neutral heel posture.
At first, the only solution that occurred to me was to start from the very beginning and work my way up. After that, I learned that I could increase the effect I got by paying attention to the pieces that were located higher on the page as well.
Hence, when standing, I concentrated on lowering the anterior tilt of my pelvis. I practiced maintaining control over the position of my pelvis and hips in order to improve my walking.
My flexibility and strength in the muscles that support the arch both improved as a result of the exercises for flat feet that I worked on. On the other hand, I don’t believe that I would have made the same amount of headway if I had simply worked on those items by themselves. My goal was to attain results that I was happy with, and focusing on the body as a whole helped me do that.