For many years, the general public believed that people with flat feet were more likely to develop pain and musculoskeletal problems in the future. The Cube analyzes a study that states this is not the case.
The idea that flat feet inevitably lead to pain or other musculoskeletal problems goes back centuries.
It was revived during the second half of the twentieth century, when North American podiatrists popularized the idea of ”normal” feet.
This included the theory that not having a well-defined arch or straight heel would make the feet unnatural and more susceptible to injury.
However, researchers at the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières, Canada, say the theory is unfounded.
They accomplished Editorial studyanalyzed the body of research conducted on flat feet, and concluded that there is practically no relationship between having flat feet and the possibility of developing a musculoskeletal disease, such as pain in the heel, knee, or hip.
“If we look at the literature, having flat feet puts you at greater risk for three or four diseases, that's about it,” said Gabriel Moisan, a professor of podiatry and one of the study's authors. “But if we take into account straighter feet, we're going to be more at risk for, say, three or four other diseases, and for feet with higher arches, there will be four different diseases as well.”
The myth that flat feet increase the likelihood of injuries has often led to unnecessary medical interventions and great anxiety among patients about the appearance of their feet.
In fact, asymptomatic flat feet require no treatment, according to the study.
Firstly, says Moisan, universities need to stop teaching physiotherapists, podiatrists and GPs that flat feet is a problem that will inevitably lead to health problems later on.
“Then we have to translate this information or disseminate it into the clinical world,” he said. “Because once the studies are completed, it becomes more difficult to disseminate the information.” “Therefore, doctors must stop conveying these misconceptions to their patients.
The hardest part will be convincing people that their flat feet are not a problem, according to Moisan, but he stresses that sufferers should not worry about them.
“Having flat feet is normal. It's an anatomical variable. All you have to do is get comfortable with it,” he says.
“We are no more at risk for disease than people with straight or straighter feet,” Moisan added. “That's what I tell my patients.”
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