“Can being overweight lead to flat feet?”
I am suddenly observing that my feet are becoming flat. Is it because of my excess weight or could it be something else?
24 Answers
Yes. Gaining weight can cause increased stress on the tendons of the feet which then can cause the arch to drop causing flat feet.
Flat feet are not caused by being over weight. There are three arches in each foot. They are breaking down, and we need to find out why this is happening. A foot orthotic custom made for your feet, will be very helpfull, after your Computor Gait Analysis is done
Theoretically, yes. The more weight you are putting on those arches could indeed cause them to collapse quicker.
Excess weight is hard on your joints as well as your arches. As we age our body will also tend to succumb to gravity if we don't notice and intervene.
Flat feet does not necessarily come from being overweight. Many people who are not overweight also have flat feet. The fix is usually foot orthotics.
Yes. Some chiropractic clinics specialize in treating feet and how they affect the your body alignment. Just like a basement foundation can affect the whole house above it.
The flattening of the arches of the foot can be due to many factors. The mechanics of the human body can be quickly altered due to weight differences, however the lack of physical activity and muscle conditioning that leads to being overweight play a large role as well. You should consult with a doctor to determine if you are healthy enough to participate in exercise and start an exercise plan that is suited to your level of experience.
I doubt weight causes flat feet, see a good podiatrist
It can lead to dropped arches which is due to severe increase in weight.
Being overweight does add more stress to the spring ligament in the foot that is responsible for holding up your arch. And, over time, it can be the reason you find your feet are losing their normal arch. However, if you have other family medical histories of diseases that affect the ligaments and collagen like Ehlers Danlos or Marfans, you would then want to look into those being contributing factors along with the weight gain. I suggest getting your feet at the very least a pair of semi-rigid orthotics, prefabricated ones depending on your symptoms may be enough. Getting your weight back under control will help them as well.
In some cases, yes.
Joseph G. Estrada
Chiropractor
It can be a combination of both. Many times when the muscles in the feet start to lose their strength, they will begin to relax and cause flat feet. The muscles in the feet are activated when the feet are in contact with the ground we walk on. When our shoes are too thick or stiff it can limit the amount of work needed to be done with the foot muscles. Being more active can help both the muscles in the feet and lose some excess weight.
It is possible the weight has decreased your arches.
As we get older, the transverse arch flattens. It can happen with anyone, especially during pregnancy. Excessive weight will put more weight on the joints, hip, knees, and feet. I recommended you get scanned for orthothics in the weight-bearing position. This will help your arches in your feet and hopefully prevent unnecessary surgeries in the future for your hips and knees. Also, it will decrease low back pain.
There are three arches in your foot that provide biomechanical stability: medial, lateral, and transverse. There are numerous reasons your arches may diminish and numerous exercises to regain them. Weight gain can definitely affect their structural integrity. We are Bay Oaks Physical Medicine, if you are in Webster, TX. 281-557-5525
Sincerely,
Dr. Joel D. Duchon
Sincerely,
Dr. Joel D. Duchon
Excessive weight can definitely contribute to your arches crashing. A podiatrist who specializes in orthotics can help while you figure out the cause.
Excess weight gain can lead to over pronation (flat feet). As we age, feet tend to become more pronated and start losing their arch. Proper exercise, which leads to weight loss, can help prevent pain in the feet from occurring due to over pronation.
Yes it can. Increased weight will create alterations in postural spinal biomechanics leading to unequal weight bearing on the arches of the feet. Not to mention the added stress on the feet from the increased weight. I would advise going to www.footlevelers.com to find a participating chiropractor. They are makers of custom orthotics. We use them at our clinic and they are very effective. I wear them myself. At the same time, start a regular exercise program and diet.
No correlation.
Heavier loads from excessive weight could lead to gradual arch collapse (what keeps “growing” after age 40?) and increased shoe size. Adopting the “shorter foot” position like baller dancers may be the most effective thing to do first, since weight loss can be so difficult. This begs the question: Is it being overweight that causes arch collapse (stretching and laxity of the ligaments of the arch if the foot), or weakness of the muscles and fascia that support the arch and mid-foot? It can be both, of course. But strengthening of the intrinsic muscles of the foot is sadly overlooked by most in medicine. Practice making a squeaky sound with your big toe on a polished floor. Try to do it without curling your toes or lifting the balls of your feet off the floor. Talk to a professional ballet dancer some time.
Excessive weight will place more stress on the feet and can contribute to pronation of the ankles and flattening of the feet. Considering orthotics to support the arches and weight loss should be helpful.
Yes, that is possible and not that uncommon.
Dr. Simone
Dr. Simone
Samuel Cirone
Chiropractor
Excess weight will put pressure on the arch of your feet. You may need custom foot orthotics if you are experiencing foot pain and to help correct foot and body imbalance.
Your feet naturally change as time goes on, being overweight can put more stress to them do to gravity. You may want to have them checked by a Podiatrist, you might need supported inserts.
