u/IntelligentIdea6315

a lot of people here ask if foot exercises will change their flat feet. it kinda depends on which type you have, and there's an easy check.

stand normally and look at your arch. then go up on your toes, or sit and let your foot hang off the edge of a chair. if an arch shows up, that's usually a flexible flat foot. if it stays flat no matter what, it's more likely rigid.

why it matters: flexible flat feet can change a bit with foot strength work. there's a 2023 study where a 6 week exercise program improved the arch in people with flexible flat feet. but a 2024 review found it usually takes longer than 6 weeks to see real change, so it's a months thing, not a couple weeks.

rigid flat feet don't change shape with exercise. strength work can still help with comfort and how your feet handle a long day, but the arch itself won't move. if yours are rigid and they hurt, it's worth getting them looked at by a podiatrist or physio.

also flat feet that don't hurt often don't need anything at all.

not a doctor, just sharing what i've read. if one arch suddenly flattens, you get pain or swelling on the inside of your ankle, or it started after an injury, get it checked first.

there's a study people mention here a lot where 48 people with plantar fasciitis were split into two groups. both groups wore insoles. one group did stretching, the other did slow heavy heel raises. at 3 months the heel raise group was doing a lot better. at 12 months both groups were about the same, so it seems like the heel raises got people there faster.

a lot of people ask what the heel raises actually looked like, so this is how it was set up.

stand on a step on one foot, heel hanging off the edge. put a rolled up towel under your toes so they're bent up a bit. that way the tissue under your foot works too, not just your calf.

go up for 3 seconds, hold at the top for 2, come down for 3. slow, no bouncing. every other day, not every day.

start with 3 sets of 12. when that gets easy go to 4 sets of 10, then 5 sets of 8. once that's easy too, put some weight in a backpack (books work) and keep going.

if one leg on a step is too much at first, start with both feet on flat ground holding a wall and work up to it. some soreness is normal, but if your heel is way worse the next morning, back off a bit.

not a doctor, just sharing what the study did. if your pain started after a fall or injury, or you get numbness, tingling, swelling, warmth or pain at night, get it checked first.