i am 20 years old , and i have been told me feet were flat as a pancake since i was a little girl. i am about 5 foot 4 and i weigh about 150 and i know i am a bit overweight,( the freshman 15). i have never been severely overweight, but i did run around barefoot almost all the time as a child.
anyway, i was trying to find out more information about this condition.
first of all, i was wondering is this situation with my feet correctable? can i have arches or will i have to wear prescription shoes for the rest of my life?
second, can this affect other areas as well? i have always had ankle, knee and hip problems which worsen becuase i have arthritis as well. its hard to tell which pains are caused by what reason, know what i mean?
i have never seen a doctor becuase they never really bothered me until recently when i started walking. i don't know what to look into buying for the right support. i don't want a doctor to have me buy a pair of shoes that i'll hate wearing. do some stores carry a type of insert made for people with flat feet, or do i have to see a pediatrist right away? thanks for any information, i greatly appreciate it...
Desiree

Well it would be a good idea for you to have a consultation with a podiatrist for a thorough evaluation. However, I see no harm in you trying an over the counter device to see if it helps. Based on your description you may want to try the Lynco posted device sport type since you are walking more now. You could also try the Anti-Shox sport orthotic. However, if your feet are very flat and do not find comfort in the pre-fabricated device then you may be a candidate for a custom molded device. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Foot.com staff member