Have high foot arches?
Actually, you probably wouldn’t know if you did. Somewhere around 8-15% of Americans walk around with high foot arches, but most don’t realize it.
What they do experience is pain under the balls of their feet, on the side of their feet, and ankle instability. They also sprain their ankles frequently. And in the more severe cases, they get stress fractures.
So, having high arches can result in a fair amount of pain.
At the same time, dancers and models can have high arches which make them look quite good in their professions. While useful in those respects, high arches are quite impractical for daily living.
Interestingly, you aren’t necessarily born with high arches (although that’s the most frequent cause). You can develop high arches at any age.
Let’s say you’re not fortunate enough to be a dancer or model. Those high arches end up being quite a nuisance to you.
What can you do to deal with the pain and inconvenience they cause? Well, quite a bit actually.
But first, you should have a podiatrist confirm you have high arches. If you suspect you have high arches, wet your bare foot and step on a piece of paper. If you have a narrow pattern between the heel and ball of your foot, it’s possible you have high arches.
A podiatrist can confirm whether you have high arches or something else going on. It can take a fair amount of testing and analysis to confirm that’s what you actually have. Podiatrists will look at your gait, calluses, balance, and strength.
In most cases, which are mild to moderate, you can get away with custom orthotics. While they may cost a little bit, they prevent a ton of pain, discomfort, and possibly injury.
Braces may also be used to improve your stability.
Most cases aren’t severe. But sometimes your arch is so high that surgery becomes the only option.
It may take several surgeries before your foot’s arch is fully repaired. It can take six weeks or more to recover from surgery. And it might take 6 months to a year to fully repair your foot.
But, at least you have a solution if you have high arches. And more than likely, it won’t require surgery.