I despise my flat feet

RightFootMary

Hi cheebsy - I'm sorry to hear that you are not happy with your feet. I'm 57 and also have extremely flat feet (in fact when I was in 6th grade I was made to stand up in front of the whole class and the teacher pointed out how I had flat feet - so embarassing!) I never really had problems except over time I got huge bunions partly from the flat feet and having the bones in my feet misaligned.

I just had my first bunion surgery a little over 3 weeks ago so I'm on the recovery (still in a removable cast walking boot and crutches). The first thing the podiatrist did was make me orthodic inserts for my shoes to create an arch. As soon as I started using them I never realized how my flat feet were also misaligning my legs! I found the orthodics to be really great and have put them in all the shoes I wear (I have given up my 2 inch heels though and only wear flats) After I'm fully recovered from this surgery I will have the other foot done and then see what the doctor recommends for footwear.

Have you consulted at least 2 different foot doctors? Have x-rays been taken to see the bones of your feet? You really want to make sure at this point that you won't have problems later on. Much better to correct things before they start.

Good luck with your feet.

TPB

Wow.. you sound just like me when I was your age. I was born with flat feet and even though they didn't really bother me in my teens and 20's, I was terribly embarassed by them. It didn't help that my wife has some of the best arches I'd ever seen. As I aged, my feet did begin to hurt, and give me problems. I wore orthotics of well over 10 years, saw several different podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons. Finally in 2003, I found one who agreed to do surgery. I just knew it was my solution.. both for the physical and emotional. The surgery consisted of taking a piece of bone from my hip, and using it to lengthen my heel bone to create an arch. Then taking a tendon from underneath my foot and moving it to the side to support it. The recovery was brutal to say the very least. I was in a cast for almost three month, on crutches for almost four. I couldn't even wear a regular shoe for almost six months. Now.. over three years later, I still don't have much of an arch. The bone graft never completely healed, so I have pain there sometimes. I only had one foot operated on since it didn't go so well the first time. If I had it to do again, there is NO WAY I'd go through that surgery again. From someone who's been there.. get some therapy. I'm quite certain that you have so much going for you. I'm really sorry you've been teased, I endured some of that too. God Bless you!!

me2007

I, too, was born with flat feet. Mine however caused my knees to knock and I had reocurring bunions after each attempt to remove them (had 2 prior major surgeries done). I sought and found an orthopedic surgeon in Orrville Ohio who told me that he would have to fix the problem in order for me to be bunion free. I had arches built in both feet. It sounds simular to what TPB had done but they never took bone from my hip. I had pins and casts, and had to learn to walk again with much PT. I am pleased with my arches now and I dont have any pain in that area (bunion free also), BUT I have a problem with my left foot as a result of trauma to the forefoot area from all the past surgeries. I guess what I am saying is, think twice if youre doing the surgery for vanity reasons only. Once your foot is cut on it will never be the same. Bones shift and nerves are permantley damaged. Look into orthotics first!

Best wishes, Ellen

pugluver31902

There is a few things that can be done for flat feet. The easiest is getting orthotics. They are a custom shoe insert that lifts your foot into an arch.

I am 23 and just finished having both of my flat feet surgically fixed because of severe knee pain I was getting from them being so flat. It was not an easy surgery. I had my heel broken off and moved over and screwed back on. I had two tendons repaired, my achilles tendon lengthened(big tendon in the back of your foot/ankle), two bone grafts inserted to fuse two of the joints, and six screws and two metal clips put in. I had that done on each foot. I was in the hospital for a week with the second foot. Each foot was three months in a cast and then a boot and then physical therapy. For me, the surgery was totally worth it. I am in no pain now and feel better than I have ever felt. My doctors told me I would have been in more pain from not having the surgery due to my knees and hips being turned at a bad angle, and the joints in my feet were deteriorating. So for me, the surgery was worth it. Now- with that being said, if your are doing the surgery because you are embarrased at the way your feet look, honey, they will look worse after surgery with four three inch scars on them!

Blondebookworm

I thought my feet were beautiful as a child - I looked at others and felt sorry for them. That was until I realised that feet were supposed to have arches and straight big toes! My husband and step-daughter have incredible arches, but the look isn't everything!
I have had both bunions treated (one is still not right and may need further surgery) and two morton's neuromas. I am convinced that having flat feet has increased my feet problems. In the UK, however, the surgery you all describe to create arches seems unavailable. I asked my surgeon last time after reading about the possibility and he said there was nothing that could be done surgically for flat feet.
I agree with pugluver on this, don't mess with your feet if this is just about how they look. No-one realises (until you do it) how much surgery on your feet can hurt and all the things that can go wrong. Learn to love your feet, they're the only pair you've got.