Fashion Mode

In many cases, people with flat feet have no success with ordinary footwear. Flat feet are feet where the arch of the foot that is shaped by the metatarsal and tarsal bones is completely flat. This means that there is no space between the inside of the foot and the floor. Foot arches play a very important role since they act as natural shock-absorbers, and is a section of the foot that is reinforced by tendons and ligaments and assists in supporting the body weight. Due to this, certain activities can be a bit restrictive due to the arch contacting the ground; therefore, good comfortable footwear is advised.

Women and Flat Foot Shoes

Today's trend of wearing sky scraper high heels is a perfect example of how women are demanding more than their suffering feet can handle. Heels more than two-inches high alters the way women usually walk, and heels more than three-inches multiplies the force on the ball of the foot. Unfortunately, many women are not aware, or they are not concerned, that continued use of high-heels may eventually interfere with wearing flat foot shoes, making them nearly impossible to wear. Most women know that high heels affect their feet, and many admit that they hurt as well. However, they bear the discomfort for the sake of fashion.

If wearing high heels has this effect on women with arches, what about those with flat feet? Fortunately, these women have other smarter choices for shoes with heels. For women, pleasant walking pumps work well for work and social events. Shoe manufacturers have created comfort pumps for women without arches or for those who simply cannot wear high heels. These flat foot shoes are frequently produced the same as athletic shoes with reinforced heels, flexible soles, and a wider toe box.

Shoes for Women

Flip flops have their own specific problems, the same as flats. Shoes without any arch support permit the foot to function as if it were barefoot. Flip-flops are fine for children in the midst of learning how to walk; however, grownups require shoes with good support to help their feet carry the body's force and weight.

There are those who have had flat feet since they were born, and others developed flat feet later on. Flat feet that are flexible; those that have arches when they sit, but disappear when they stand, can be shoddier than feet that are flat whether standing or not! Minus support or insoles for flat feet, a flat foot will probably develop hammertoes, tendon inflammation, and bunions. Most podiatrists believe that unconfined flat-footedness is the worse of any foot problem.

The best advice for women with flat feet is to try the "three-step test" when shopping. First a flat foot shoe ought to flex where your foot flexes naturally, which is the ball of the foot. Secondly, a shoe should not bend from side to side. Lastly, compress the back of the heel of the shoe to make sure that it will tightly hold the heel. This procedure should help women with flat feet select better functioning flat foot shoes for their needs.