How does running affect flat-footed people?
Flat foot, commonly referred to as a pronated foot, is characterized by excessive motion. That means the foot is loose and “gives” too much under the weight of the body, thus appearing flat when bearing weight. The tibialis posterior is the primary muscle responsible for maintaining the arch of the foot when you bear weight on the feet. But we already know that the pronating arch tends to collapse under load. So what’s happening is a tug-of-war between the collapsing arch and the tibialis posterior with each step. Over time, the collapsing arch wins the war. Due to the excessive forces in the tibialis posterior, the muscle’s origin begins to be pulled away from its attachment on the tibia. Obviously very painful, a person experiencing this condition will generally feel discomfort on the distal medial (lower inside) aspect of the leg felt near the border of the tibia and the soleus muscle, near the midpoint of the leg. Keep in mind that the pain may not be isolated to one spot because t
