Diagnostics | Flatfoot

Diagnostics

A flat foot can be detected by simply looking at the foot, especially in the case of severe malpositioning. The foot rests much further on the ground than a healthy foot. In some cases, the sole of the foot lies flat on the ground.

It appears rounded (convex) and the tarsal bones are rounded towards the sole of the foot. The Achilles tendon is usually shortened and the forefoot appears splayed and pulled upwards (dorsally extended). The congenital flat foot shows a steeply positioned ankle bone (“talus verticalis”) in the X-ray image.

In order to choose the correct therapy for the flat foot, the flat foot can be divided into different stages. In stage 1, the physician can passively correct the malposition and the patient can still actively straighten the longitudinal arch. The Achilles tendon is not yet shortened here.

In stage 2, the foot can still be passively moved into the correct position, but the Achilles tendon is already slightly shortened. In stage 3, the foot position can only be partially passively corrected, the Achilles tendon is clearly shortened and the rear part of the foot points outwards. Severity 4 corresponds in its image to the signs of severity 3, but in addition to the Achilles tendon shortening and the displacement of the rear foot part, there is also a splay of the front foot.

In degree of severity 5, the malposition cannot be corrected. In addition, the heel (rear foot) is high and the head of the ankle protrudes at the inner edge of the foot. In addition, the front foot is constantly splayed. This leads to a lifting of the inner and a lowering of the outer edge of the foot.

Treat flat feet with insoles

In addition to active exercises, the adult foot can only be treated with insoles, as the growth and thus a bony correction is complete.

Flatfoot on the Nile

And probably the most famous form of flatfoot is the “Flatfoot on the Nile” with Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill. And since we have the claim to inform completely around the topic “foot”, we have an article about the “Flatfoot on the Nile”.