Educational Articles: Flat Feet

This is the third installment in our ongoing series in which we examine foot-related research studies published many decades ago. This study, conducted by Clifford S. James, is called “Footprints and Feet of Natives of the Solomon Islands” and was published in The Lancet in 1939. The researcher, James, worked in the Solomon Islands region for over a decade. This study was conducted out of the Melanesian Mission Hospital on... Read more

Flat feet, also known as pes valgus or pes planovalgus, is a health problem in which the foot lacks a normal arch when the affected person is standing. The arch on the foot’s inside edge (i.e., medial longitudinal arch) is the structure affected by this condition. The entire foot, including the midfoot, will touch the floor in individuals with flat feet. Flat feet is usually a painless condition, and it... Read more

This video discusses the condition called flat feet. There are a lot of myths surrounding flat feet, and in this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, addresses each of these myths and compares and contrasts conventional podiatric treatments with natural, conservative treatment methods. Dr. Ray notes that having flat feet is not necessarily an indication that foot problems... Read more

Propping up the foot arch is a common approach used by physicians to help treat certain foot and ankle disorders. Arch support is also a design feature commonly touted by shoe manufacturers as beneficial. But we thought it would be helpful to discuss what arch support really means and whether it’s truly necessary—or even desired—in the foot. To understand our arch support philosophy, it’s important to understand the architectural principle... Read more