At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center, we find that many of our Douglas Park/Los Angeles County area patients are surprised when they receive a diagnosis of flat feet from our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley and Dr. Constance Ornelas. That’s because the symptoms don’t immediately point to a problem in the arch of your foot, which is the source of flat feet discomfort. Patients may experience:

• Pain in the foot (particularly the middle of the foot or heel), ankle, lower leg, knees, hips or back
• Localized swelling
• Decrease in foot flexibility
• Feelings of fatigue if feet or lower legs

What Causes Flat Feet?

There is a wide variety of possible causes of partial or total lack of an arch in your foot. These include:

• Hereditary tendency
• Failure in childhood for the arch to fully develop normally
• Aging
• Weight gain due to pregnancy or obesity
• Injury or trauma
• Medical conditions such as arthritis

Due to the many potential sources of flat feet, it’s essential that the foot doctor examines you and determines the cause and severity of the deformity. The podiatrist may also want to get an x-ray of your foot to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment Options

The treatment the foot doctor prescribes will depend on several factors, including your level of discomfort and the ultimate source of the condition. In some cases, wearing more supportive shoes and limiting activities that require you to stand or walk for extended periods may be enough. Additional treatment options include:

• Icing the painful or swollen area
• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications
• Stretching exercises and physical therapy
• Arch supports, foot braces or supportive tape
• Custom orthotics

In some cases where the arch is collapsed or not present, the podiatrist may want to perform reconstructive surgery to correct this deformity. To have your foot evaluated and learn what options are best for you, contact our Long Beach office by calling: (562) 420-9800.

One of the most frequent reasons that patients come to see us at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center is heel pain. There are multiple causes of heel pain, however, and for that reason it’s important that if your heel is hurting, you have one of our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas examine your feet and determine the source of your discomfort. Once the foot doctor has diagnosed the condition that is causing your pain, the proper treatment plan can be decided upon.

Below are three common reasons heels hurt:

1. Plantar Fasciitis—along the bottom of your foot there is a long band of tissue known as the plantar fascia that connects the heel bone to the ball of the foot. The plantar fascia is subject to large amounts of pressure and impact from normal daily activities. If you are a runner or serious athlete, your plantar fascia is getting an additional workout. When the plantar fascia becomes inflamed, it can cause heel pain. One telltale sign that plantar fasciitis is the cause of your heel discomfort is pain that is worse first thing in the morning. You may also experience pain in the arch of your foot and swelling on the bottom of your heel.
2. Heel Spurs—spurs are outgrowths of bone. Heel spurs are often associated with, but are different from plantar fasciitis. When calcium deposits form in the heel, bone spurs can develop. Pressure from footwear and walking can cause redness, swelling, and painful inflammation. If you have heel spurs you may experience sharp pain or a dull ache.
3. Flat Feet—although flat feet can also have several causes, the bottom line is that if your arch is collapsing, heel pain can result from it. Flattening of the arch puts your foot in a biomechanically abnormal position, which exerts excess pressure on the heel. This is why shoes that lack arch support can also be a heel pain trigger.

Depending on the source of your heel pain, there are many conservative treatments including: losing weight, custom orthotic and stretching exercises. Make an appointment at our Long Beach office in Douglas Park CA to find out why your heel is hurting.