“Innocent” sneakers and ballet shoes can develop flat feet
Shoes directly affect the health of the musculoskeletal system. It is because of the wrong shoes that flat feet, diseases of the joints of the lower extremities, as well as scoliosis and osteochondrosis can develop.
In this article, we'll look at the most undesirable models on the shoe rack and how they affect your health.
Shoes with heels higher than five centimeters
A high heel changes the center of gravity. The load on the foot is distributed unevenly - the main percentage of it falls on the forefoot. The transverse arch suffers. And on this basis a “spread out” foot can form.
In addition, high heels develop pathological changes in gait.
Constantly wearing high-heeled shoes will not go away without health consequences. Corns and calluses appear. Blood circulation is impaired, so swelling appears by the end of the day, creating the risk of developing varicose veins. The foot in an unnatural position does not perform the function of shock absorption. And the spine begins to suffer - over time, scoliosis and osteochondrosis develop.
For everyday life, it is better to use shoes with heels below five centimeters.
Who needs to wear orthopedic shoes
The development of flat feet stops if you constantly wear orthopedic shoes
Orthopedic shoes will be useful for every resident of the metropolis. Modern lifestyle is the main cause of foot deformities. Constantly wearing shoes, a sedentary lifestyle and smooth surfaces of the floor and asphalt deprive the foot of the natural massage that it receives in natural conditions: during frequent walking barefoot on grass and rocky paths.
There are risk groups - people who are especially susceptible to the appearance and development of flat feet:
♦ people forced to walk and stand for more than four hours a day;
♦ women who wear heels higher than 5cm, as well as anyone who wears uncomfortable - narrow or wide - shoes;
♦ overweight people;
♦ pregnant women: hormonal effects on connective tissues - the tissues become elastic, and, in particular, the plantar aponeurosis no longer holds the arch of the foot - the foot sags;
♦ people who have suffered injuries to the lower extremities.
Flat shoes
The comfort of shoes does not mean they are harmless. Shoes with flat soles do not support the arches of the feet in a physiologically correct position and do not protect the musculoskeletal system from the shock load when walking. The foot “spreads out”.
In addition, there are flat-soled shoes that are not secured to the foot with laces and fasteners. These are ballet shoes. They are loose and are held mainly on the toes, which is why the toes are in constant tension and bend inward with every step. Like high-heeled shoes, ballet shoes lead to changes in gait: a person shuffles and clubbing.
The well-known “bunion,” or deformation of the big toe, is the most common consequence of regularly wearing ballet flats, sneakers, slippers, and UGG boots. A “heel spur,” which occurs because the flat sole is unable to absorb the impact of the heel on the ground, is accompanied by severe pain. In the future, such “slippers” cause more serious problems - with posture and joints.
It is necessary to replace such shoes with shoes with a last relief, a stable heel and a “correct” insole with arch support.
Stages of flat feet
In its development, the disease goes through several stages:
- pre-disease;
- intermittent flat feet;
- first, second and third degrees of severity.
At the pre-disease stage, the foot retains its shape, but if it is necessary to walk or stand for a long time, it begins to hurt.
At the stage of intermittent flatfoot, the foot becomes deformed under load, but after rest it restores its previous shape.
With the first degree of flatfoot, a slight deformation of the foot becomes noticeable (the height of the arch is more than 25 millimeters), and the gait changes. Possible pain, rapid fatigue, swelling.
In the second degree, the height of the arch is less than 18 millimeters. A person constantly experiences pain in the feet, which can spread to the knee. Walking becomes significantly more difficult.
In the third degree, the foot is severely deformed and the arch almost completely disappears. A feeling of pain accompanies even short-term walking. The feet and legs become very swollen. Pain in the lower back and headaches are possible.
Shoes that are too narrow
Narrow shoes squeeze your feet. The forefoot cannot be positioned freely. The thumb and little finger are pressed inward, and the middle fingers are bent. An unnatural position, first of all, provokes the appearance of calluses.
Also, pinched toes do not participate in the smooth roll of the foot from heel to toe. The gait ceases to be easy and the joints suffer - the shock load when walking with pinched fingers is distributed unevenly.
Due to tight shoes, normal blood flow is disrupted. There are prerequisites for numbness, cramps, premature leg fatigue and swelling at the end of the day.
Therefore, shoes that closely follow the natural contours of the foot are preferred.
Effective exercises for transverse flat feet
Exercises specially designed for people suffering from this disease are more effective in combating transverse flatfoot in adults. They allow you to strengthen muscles and stop the development of the disease.
Exercise therapy helps improve tissue tone and improve blood flow in the lower leg. The complex must be selected in such a way that the effect occurs on several muscle groups of the foot at once. These are exercises from various positions (standing, sitting, lying down) using small objects, a gymnastic stick and inclined planes.
For each patient, the course of classes is selected individually depending on the type of pathology and its severity. Therefore, it is necessary to begin implementation only after consultation with a specialist, namely an orthopedist, who will offer exercise therapy specifically for you, so that it is effective for the development of the muscles and ligaments of the ankle.
To get the maximum results from the exercises, they should be done in the morning, since at this time the muscles are not yet tired. Moreover, it is necessary to start with small loads and gradually increase them. It is advisable to repeat the complex two to four times a day.
- Starting position – lying on your back.
Lie on the floor face up, legs slightly apart. Next, the toes must be squeezed and unclenched for two minutes.
The position is the same as in the previous exercise. The movements in this case are made not with the fingers, but with the feet. They should be rotated first clockwise, then counterclockwise.
You need to pull the toes of your feet towards your head. This can be done with each leg separately or with both legs at once.
The lower limbs in this exercise should be spread and bent so that the soles of the feet touch each other. Next, leaning on your feet, you need to try to make clapping movements with your heels, but at the same time your toes should not separate.
- Exercises while sitting on a chair.
Make a fist with your right hand and place it between your knees. At this time, the foot is placed on the edge, that is, the inner part is raised from the floor, and the outer part, on the contrary, is pressed.
Place your hands on your knees, after which you need to lift the heels of your feet, while leaning on your toes. This exercise must be performed first with both legs, then alternately.
Now you should do the opposite, that is, it is not the heels that are raised, but the toes of the feet. The starting position is the same.
Place small items on the floor. You need to collect them all using only your toes, that is, hold the thing with them and, holding it, pass it into your hand.
The next exercise is to make movements with your feet that resemble a caterpillar crawling forward. It is necessary to bend your fingers and, leaning on the floor, move forward.
- Exercises in a standing position.
Standing on the floor, you first need to rise on your toes as many times as you can, and then do the same, but lifting the heels of your right and left legs alternately.
The exercise involves lifting your toes off the floor and standing on your heels. You should do this as much as you can.
In the same starting position, that is, standing exactly on the floor, you need to rise on your toes and, while maintaining balance, perform half squats.
Shoes made from non-natural materials
Artificial materials often do not allow air to pass through. The foot in such shoes does not “breathe”. This leads to increased sweating, and the consequences are diaper rash, fungal diseases and frequent calluses.
Shoes made from non-natural materials are difficult to stretch and slowly take on the natural shape of the foot. Therefore, the initial period of use provokes the development of flat feet. In an awkward position, it is difficult for the foot to maintain the anatomically correct arch of the foot, absorb the impact of the heel on the ground, and smoothly roll onto the toe when walking.
shoes for children - we inform
But why then do doctors advise children to wear orthopedic shoes? In fact, the recommendations relate exclusively to treatment issues and do not apply to children with healthy feet. This means that the use of orthopedic shoes can be justified only after a diagnosis has been established, which takes into account the degree of flat-valgus foot, the possibility of its correction, and the influence of other biomechanical factors.
However, even with justified prescription of orthopedic shoes, the child needs to compensate for the limitation of movements and tactile sensations of the foot, for which daily physical exercise and devices for stimulating the sensitivity of the foot (massage mats, balls, trampoline) are best suited.
Orthopedic shoes are not just a piece of clothing, they are a product that actively affects the foot, so a doctor’s prescription is required to use them.
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With or without heels? Orthopedic doctor about the right shoes and treatment of flat feet
The head of the orthopedic department, associate professor of the department of traumatology, orthopedics and arthrology of the RUDN University, candidate of medical sciences, Alexey Kanaev, spoke about leg problems and foot diseases .
"AiF": - What is the most common foot disease today?
Alexey Kanaev: - Today this is a problem associated with the flatness of the foot, transverse and longitudinal arches of the feet (flat feet), hence further problems with the joints and spine, because every time you take a step, there is a shock load on any of the overlying joints, including the spine, hip and knee joints.
"AiF": - What exactly leads to flat feet?
A.K.: — One of the ways to get flat feet is to wear heels. Usually, when patients come to see us and ask what kind of heels can be worn, and what kind of shoes should be worn in general, we answer that shoes without heels are contraindicated, they cannot be worn, you need to wear shoes with heels from 2 to 6-6. Ti cm maximum and with a wide toe. Problems with bunions or bunions occur more often in women than in men. If we take our statistics, then per 100 patients we have 5 men, the rest are women. This is due precisely to wearing narrow, uncomfortable shoes and weakness of connective tissues or ligamentous apparatus, its flexibility, because the feet are more often subject to deformation. As a rule, the entire load when walking, with the body in a vertical position, falls on the spring function of the foot.
“AiF”: — That is, if a woman is a lover of high heels, then she has a direct path to an orthopedist?
A.K.: - This is very interesting to watch. When a person is born, the children’s legs are all the same, the fat pads are all the same. Later, the child begins to move around, walk, and the mother notices that the leg is not positioned correctly, or something else. After this, you can see how the leg begins to form - different body weights, different loads, different walking distances. Thus, the arch of the foot is formed. Therefore, to formulate it correctly and to do it correctly depends to a great extent on the parents.
“AiF”: — How can you tell whether you have flat feet or not if you don’t feel any pain at the moment?
A.K.: - Remember about the footprint in the sand? If the width of the foot on the print is more than one third of the actual width of the foot, then there is already flat feet. If the heel wears out on the outside or inside, there are already some violations that need to be somehow compensated or eliminated. Therefore, when patients first come to us, we can already see by their gait what is happening.
“AiF”: — Can orthopedic insoles help somehow?
A.K.: - According to the latest census, there are about 20 million residents in Moscow, among them 52% are women - approximately 10 million. These 10 million conditionally wear 5 standard shoe sizes from 35 to 40. We divide these 10 million by 5 standard sizes and get conditionally 2 million women with one shoe size. Among these 2 million there will not be a single leg similar to the other, they are all different. Therefore, industrially made insoles are, unfortunately, ineffective. They only need to be made individually, because often even two legs of one person are also different, the load is different, not to mention the fact that it is different for different people.
"AiF": - Where are these insoles made?
A.K.: — There are orthopedic salons that specialize in individual selection of insoles. Today, our department is one of the co-inventors of thin insoles that do not change the size range of the foot and provide good support for the foot, but we do not manufacture them ourselves, because we have a lot of patients who need surgical correction, and conservative, and consultation appointment. We usually refer patients to an organization where the quality of workmanship has already been checked.
“AiF”: — Besides insoles, what other ways are there to combat flat feet?
Article on the topic
Beautiful, but dangerous? High heels cause damage to the knees, spine and internal organs
A.K.: - Physical therapy, any gymnastics that you find on the Internet, rehabilitation doctors usually give good advice, various baths with saline solutions - all this is the prevention of flat feet. The more regularly a person does this, the more successfully he will monitor his health; this is a directly proportional dependence.
"AiF": - What if there is a chance to cure flat feet?
A.K.: - Of course. To do this, you first need to visit an orthopedist and understand what is happening and how severe the degree is. In the Russian classification there are 3 degrees, in the foreign classification - 4. The second and third degrees require correction. In the second degree, conservative correction is possible, and then you will need to see a doctor. A qualified orthopedist will tell you how best to do it.
Conservative correction is the same as insoles and physical therapy. Even after the introduction of new methods developed by our department into the practice of orthopedic doctors, minimally invasive, low-traumatic operations, after which patients get up on the second day, physical therapy exercises in the postoperative period are still recommended and there is some kind of rehabilitation period, because that’s all -it's an operation.