FLAT FOOT :This is a condition in which the foot can become painful and more flat (pes planus). It can be congenital(person is born with it) or acquired(person develops it over time), rigid or flexible, painful or non painful. As the foundation of your body, flat feet can indirectly and slowly cause damage to the knees, hips, lower back and spine. If one experiences pain in the foot, ankle or lower leg, the feet need to be evaluated at the earliest.
Even though some flat feet are not painful, if not cared for properly, the condition can lead to early arthritis, as well as pain in the knees, hips and back. There are several reasons why this can happen but most commonly an important tendon called the Tibialis Posterior is involved, as well as ligaments on the inside of the foot and ankle.
Flat Foot Surgery is performed to correct the flat foot deformity, correct the foot alignment, create an arch in the foot and eliminate or reduce any pain in the feet. Before going ahead with the procedure of reconstruction surgery, the podiatrist could suggest non-invasive treatments, such as cushioned arch supports, shoe inserts (orthotics), weight loss, or physical therapy. If none of these treatments work, surgery would be recommended.
There are several types of flat foot reconstructive surgery. One commonly performed procedure is an Evans osteotomy. This procedure is done by making an osteotomy (bone cut) through the heel and then sliding the rear foot inwards to create an arch. The bone is fixated with screws. This can lead to a long recovery and is involved. However, there is another, more efficient, procedure known as the Subtalar Arthroeresis. This flatfoot reconstruction surgery is a minimally invasive procedure performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting. The titanium implant is placed in the naturally occurring space between your heel and ankle bones to instantly realign and stabilize the hindfoot. Once placed, it will allow normal joint range of motion and weight distribution of your body on your feet.
