How Flat Feet May Cause Knee Problems
Knee pain can be caused by inflammation or repetitive stress of the muscles, connective tissues and joint. Overusing the knee can further increase the risk of injury, especially when playing sports or doing high-impact exercises.
In most cases, knee pain is accompanied by swelling, redness and warmth around the knee joint, making movement difficult. Weight issues, muscle imbalances and posture problems can all cause or worsen knee pain. In quite a few cases, knee issues can be caused by or get worse from poor foot posture.
Knee Pain Caused by Foot Posture
Foot posture problems, such as flat feet or high-arched feet, can cause misalignment in the lower body. Among these, a flatfoot condition is the most common cause of knee problems. Let’s take a look at what happens to the body when a person has flat feet.
When the foot arch flattens on the ground, it creates a knock-off effect leading to misalignment of the lower body. The flattened foot arch causes the shin and thigh bones to abnormally twist inwards, adding stress on the knee joint and sometimes causing pain. Existing knee problems like ACL or meniscus tear can worsen and/or take longer to heal with a poor foot posture.
In severe cases, an individual can have knock-knees in which the knees touch each other or point toward each other while standing. On the other hand, an individual with high-arched feet can have bowleggedness where the knees point outwards. In both cases, there is added stress on the knees which causes pain.
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Diagnosis and Treatment
As mentioned earlier, knee pain can be caused or worsened by a flatfoot posture. In both cases, a full physical examination is necessary. X-ray or MRI/CT scans can allow the clinician to examine the bones and tissues. An examination of foot posture and walking stride can allow the clinician to know how flat feet can cause knee pain.
Treatment programmes for knee pain often involve:
- stretching and strengthening exercises
- icing and pain relief therapy
- posture correction
The clinician can recommend foot insoles as part of a complete treatment programme. MASS4D® insoles can support the feet in their optimal posture to restore alignment from the feet up to the knees, legs, hips and the lower back. The insoles offer the greatest foot support to help reduce stress on the knees while standing, walking and doing physical activity.
MASS4D® insoles can help users feel a marked difference in knee pain from the first week of use.
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Foot Pain Relief, Injury Prevention, Better Posture and Sports Performance in One Insole buy now
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