Little do you know, your feet are actually a really important body part that you have. Well, yes all of the body parts are extremely important to the development and growth of a person’s temple but the feet play a major role in one's life. They help you walk, they help you run, they help you show off those brand new heels or bomb shoes you just bought and they even look great when you show them off after a nice pedicure. Your feet can do all those external things but what’s even more amazing about your feet is how many nerves they are attached to in your body. Yes, the nerves in your feet can determine pain in other parts of your body. So if that’s the case, can your feet be the reason why you’re experiencing joint pain?
High Arched Vs Flat Feet
No two bodies are alike so that means everyone’s external features will always be different. Though when it comes to feet, there are three main types of features that people have, arched feet, high arched feet or flat feet.
It’s normal to have regular arched feet, in fact, that’s how your feet are supposed to be according to science. There is supposed to be a slight arch to help with balance.
People who have flat and high arched feet do not have that slight arch. Either they have a very high arch or no arch at all.
Though cavus foot isn’t very common, people with high arched feet can suffer from painful symptoms because of stress on the foot.
People who are flat-footed are the opposite of those with high arches. The foot has no arch to it and though there are no actual symptoms that come with flat feet, it can lead to foot pain in the heel and or arch area of your foot.
It can also cause internal ankle swelling and have the ability to affect your joints especially if you’re living with rheumatoid arthritis.
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How Flat Feet Can Lead To Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare-Ups
When living with flat feet, your feet have no support and this can cause pain to your muscles and ligaments. Since you have no support when you walk or run, it causes stress on the joints specifically in your knees and ankles. Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis that commonly affects the joints in your hands, wrist and knees. It starts when the lining of your joints become inflamed, which causes damage to your joint tissue. When your tissue is damaged, you can suffer from a lack of balance, deformity and severe chronic pain.
So here is how it would work: if you are living with rheumatoid arthritis, your joints are in pain often, which can actually lead to flat feet. While rheumatoid arthritis leads to flat feet, flat feet can also cause flare-ups with your arthritis. This is due to the lack of support your joints are getting since there is no arch to support the body’s weight on your joints. This then causes the inflammation of the arthritis. So, essentially, rheumatoid arthritis causes flat feet and flat feet causes rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups.
What To Do To Prevent Joint Pain With Flat Feet
Prevention of joint pain may be a little tricky, especially if you are living with rheumatoid arthritis, but there are ways to help your feet. Doctors and or physical therapists will help you create a workout plan specifically for your feet to help prevent symptoms and even help symptoms while you're experiencing them at the moment.
Buying shoes that support flat feet can help as well and is definitely recommended. Make sure the shoes are wide-fitting and offer arch support.
Asking your doctor about anti-inflammatory drugs can also help to prevent joint pain. Working with a doctor will help you find something that works best for you.
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Try This When You’re Suffering From A Flare Up
When in the moment, it can be hard to figure out what your next step should be if you are so focused on your pain. Here are some suggestions to try out when you’re experiencing a flare-up
- Exercise your feet or ankles to help relieve pain
- Take the weight off of your knees and sit down for about 5 minutes
- If you have a flare-up and need to continue walking, try using the balls of your feet when you walk
- Use an ankle brace to help soothe inflammation at the moment
- Take medication when you feel your symptoms starting, before they get too bad
It’s important to know that there are things you can do to help yourself even when the pain feels like you can’t. Take your time and try out what works best for you.
