http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation I've always had flat feet.  Not a low arch, or a "fallen arches": my whole foot is in contact with the ground.  A wet footprint has a gentle wedge from the heel to the front of my foot - with no concave portion in the middle. This has never bothered me.  I used to play soccer and routinely walk several miles.  I've been known to run through DFW. When shopping for shoes recently, some Motion Control shoes were recommended to me based on the wear pattern on my existing shoes.  My wife confirms that my ankles curve in.  On the spot diagnosis by the shoe salesman: Over-pronation. So I got some new shoes.  That was about a month ago. Yesterday, I walked out in bare feet after it had rained.  On the way back into the garage, I noticed that my right footprint - and right footprint only - had a definite indication of an arch. I'm not sure what to make of this.  Part of me feels that if I haven't had problems in 42 years... en-us http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation I've always had flat feet.  Not a low arch, or a "fallen arches": my whole foot is in contact with the ground.  A wet footprint has a gentle wedge from the heel to the front of my foot - with no concave portion in the middle. This has never bothered me.  I used to play soccer and routinely walk several miles.  I've been known to run through DFW. When shopping for shoes recently, some Motion Control shoes were recommended to me based on the wear pattern on my existing shoes.  My wife confirms that my ankles curve in.  On the spot diagnosis by the shoe salesman: Over-pronation. So I got some new shoes.  That was about a month ago. Yesterday, I walked out in bare feet after it had rained.  On the way back into the garage, I noticed that my right footprint - and right footprint only - had a definite indication of an arch. I'm not sure what to make of this.  Part of me feels that if I haven't had problems in 42 years... http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1092709096 I'm a little skeptical. I'm 42. I've had flat feet all my life. I've never had any trouble at all. But I do go through shoes pretty quick. Posted by Will Leshner http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1092711626 Sam, I'm half your age, and I wore corrective orthotics for years.  I never really had much of an arch even after years of first hard plastic [oh, the callouses] and then cork-covered-with-leather, and then when Dad retired from the Air Force, we never found a civilian podiatrist. Then, after a solid year of wearing Tatami sandals [made/sold by Birkenstock], I ... had an arch. It's the strangest thing. Posted by Geof http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1092719715 Jeremy Zawodny : sam ruby has flat feed - sam ruby has flat feed: so do i... Excerpt from HotLinks - Level 1 http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1092733735 I saw this by Sam Ruby about his flat feet and it made me think. For a couple of years now I've been in pretty much constant pain from my ankles, I'd been to see doctors when I was younger but nothing came from it. Finally I went to see the doctor as...... [more]Trackback from The Further Adventures of Sci http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1094087422 I read the above comments with both interest and dismay.  I, too, had known that I had a degree (?%) of "fallen arches", but never knew what it meant.  Well, about 12 months ago, when I was 46, I began having VERY significant pain in my heels, to the point where I could not walk anywhere without pain.  Within weeks I saw I was gaining weight (I had always been an avid walker in my work and for recreation/pleasure), and could barely make it to work and back home in the evening.  I found out I had VERY BAD fallen arches after talking with an Othopod, and had to have orthotic inserts for my shoes.  The relief I had was miraculous, within 7-8 days I was able to go pain-free all day.  12 months later I still wear those inserts religiously, because after 4-5 hours walking barefoot or with sandals, the pain returns.  Get help before you have pain if you have "fallen arches", sooner or later you will have problems.  My 12 year old son has inherited the same problems I have and my older sister have (she also started having problems in her mid-40s).  I am having his impressions made and an Orthopod is going to evaluate him next week.  Act now and you may avoid more problems later. Posted by gkg http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1096611355 I didn't write posts or read blogs during our travels to San Francisco in August, but as we drove, I imagined how other bloggers would have reacted, had they come along with us for our road trip....here are my...... Excerpt from Julie Leung: Seedlings & Sprouts http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1097202781 hi do you guys think its possible to have 2 different flat feet? for some reason i am still flip flapping even though i have orthodics for both feet Posted by chris http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1102966401 I wear all my running shoes out on the outside of the heel. The soles of the shoes are like new and the heels are worn away. Any Ideas. Posted by John West http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1142735474 im a girl an i’ve had flat feet all my life. i think i noticed in primary school i was different when the teacer painted the whole classes feet and made them make imprints on paper..mine were the only ones too make a whole foot shape. people on extreme close scrutiny have also said i walk funny like a penguin. on occasion i have back pain too. is there any solution to cure them. sam, 16 Posted by sam http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1146664753 I’ve had fallen arches/flat feet all my life, resulting in light aches/pain in feet, knees, back, neck. I did yang style tai chi, with 10 minutes chi kung (standing meditation) each morning/evening for six months (keep it up though). The results were astounding!!! Total realignment of foot bones, overall skeleton. Able to jump further and higher, along with an overall running style/gait which I can only describe as Olympian. Try it, it costs little or nothing; it will change your life. Oh yes, another benefit is that people tell me that I look more confident, calmer, and at ease with the world... Good luck to you all, and best regards from London. Posted by j.p. http://intertwingly.net/blog/2004/08/16/Over-Pronation#c1210079928 Hi, Like some others I have flat feet all my life.I had wondered what I could ever do about them because I was born and live in West Africa-Nigeria .Well am 30 years now and fortunately the internet is available.I would love to send some photographs to you so that you can tell me if there are any corrective measures you have available for my case and also what treatment would cost me. Looking forward to your opinion. Thanks. Sincerely, Amaka Ogugua Posted by Amaka Ogugua