Flatfoot is a condition in which the medial arch of the foot sinks when standing, leaving the foot flat against the ground. It can be caused by a variety of conditions, including congenital genetics, acquired muscle weakness, ligamentous laxity, and obesity. A sunken medial arch affects gait. Long-term flat feet have the opportunity to cause excessive stretching of the ligaments in the foot, which can easily lead to calf pain, knee pain and low back pain. You can wear healthy shoes with stiffened heel cups and orthopedic insoles to keep the heel in a vertical position and support the arch at the same time to reduce flatfoot syndrome and prevent complications. It is also necessary to wear flat-footed shoes for correction. The heel and middle of the sole should be slightly narrower to make the heel more fixed and prevent the heel from swaying when walking. The inner part of the sole (i.e., the arch) is 5 to 10 mm thicker than the outer part, so that the foot is slightly turned inward to prevent the talus bone from sinking inward and moving the load line from the inner edge of the foot to the outer edge of the foot. Similar insole padding in the shoe also has a better effect. Flat feet mean that the arch is collapsed, which means that the normal arch structure is destroyed, so the elasticity of the foot is reduced or lost, resulting in the inability to walk or stand for long periods of time. At the same time, because of the flattening of the soles, the support function of the lower limbs for the whole body is significantly reduced, and the center of gravity of the body is shifted inward, thus forcing changes in the function of the whole body and spine. Therefore, a small flat foot can have significant adverse effects on human health, especially physical strength and endurance as usual. Why would a good arch collapse? There are many reasons. Congenital bone dysplasia is one of the causes of foot arch collapse. These adolescents usually have a short first metatarsal, a long second metatarsal, or a poorly developed navicular bone, so muscle support is low and ligament stability is poor when bearing weight. Some adolescents have a family history of flat feet, and their ligaments and muscles are poorly developed, or they have a genetic short heel key, so that the arch collapses when weight is placed on it, mostly when they first learn to walk. Improper weight-bearing causes strain on the arch ligaments, which is another cause of arch collapse. Standing for a long time on too hard ground; early participation in physical labor by rural adolescents, body weight exceeds the load capacity of the arch; sudden participation in long-distance walking and other activities without training; obesity or overweight; often wearing shoes that are too narrow or with too high a heel, etc., also often cause flat feet. Poor physical condition is also an important cause of foot arch collapse. Such as tuberculosis, rheumatism, heart disease and some chronic wasting diseases, often cause muscle dystrophy atrophy, ligament slender and relaxed, but also cause a little weight and longer walking, will cause the arch collapse. The incidence of flat feet is also very high among adolescents with long, thin, muscular dystrophy syndrome. Adolescence is the most frequent stage of flatfoot. The reason for this is that adolescents are growing in height and weight at this time; at the peak of this growth, their height can increase by 10 to 15 cm and their weight by 8 to 10 kg in one year, thus greatly increasing their body weight. However, the development of muscles (especially the small muscles of the foot) often lags behind 1 to 2 years, in other words, the increase in the loading force of the arch and the growth of the form often have a period of incompatibility. At this time, if the load is too heavy or the static activity time (such as standing) is too long, the balance between the weight and the muscle power of maintaining the arch will be lost, resulting in the collapse of the arch. Of course, it is rare for adolescents to have flat feet if they are regularly engaged in physical exercise. To effectively prevent and treat flat feet, we must first try to eliminate various environmental factors that make the foot ligament strain and muscle overwork. For example, when standing or walking for a long time, you should take a break or change your position; adolescents who are not yet fully developed should avoid participating in overloaded labor (such as carrying a load) and sports (such as weight lifting); those who have not undergone proper exercise should not suddenly participate in long walks, especially to avoid walking on hard concrete and tarmac for a long time; adolescents who already have symptoms of flat feet should preferably use hot water every day before going to bed Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes before bedtime, and massage them immediately after soaking to promote blood circulation and speed up the recovery from arch fatigue. The most important preventive measure is to pay attention to strengthening foot muscle exercise everywhere in daily life. For example, walking barefoot on the beach or grass and other soft ground, try to let the outer edge of the sole of the foot on the ground when walking, and make the toes flex; you can also do walking exercises barefoot on the slanting board; try to stand on the tip of the foot or arch the back of the foot; roll the board with the sole of the foot; use the back of the foot to lift a small lead ball, or toes to practice grasping the round bullet, etc., to exercise the foot muscles. In addition, should also actively participate in physical exercise, especially to strengthen the high leg and jumping exercises (such as jumping rope, long jump, high jump, vertical jump, etc.), as well as climbing activities (such as ribbed wood, climbing ladders, balance beam, climbing rope, climbing pole, etc.), so that the muscles and ligaments of the foot arch are fully exercised. Some experts also advocate that one should try to practice the dance movement of walking on tiptoe or jumping rope on tiptoe to strengthen the ligamentous toughness of the arch and the tense contraction of the foot muscles to help restore the collapsed arch. Wearing the right shoes is important to prevent flat feet. The size of the shoes should be appropriate, the head of the shoes should be large, so that the tip of the foot has ample room to move; the waist of the shoes (near the ankle) should be stiffer, in order to protect the inner arch, so that the heel bone does not turn outward; the sole of the shoes should be thicker, and the heel should preferably have a height of 1.5 to 2.0 cm, so that the weight load is dispersed as much as possible to the pivot points of the arch, reducing the pressure on the arch. School children should also do more appropriate bouncing exercises such as toe exercises, jumping rope and other elastic exercises to strengthen the muscles of the lower legs and soles of the feet. Patients with flat feet should take corrective measures when they are found in time, and can use flat foot correction pads to help improve their gait.