Are flat feet genetic? This is what research shows

Flat feet is a medical condition, where feet will be affected due to the absence of the arch. When a person is affected with flat feet, there will be a gap between the feet and the floor. Due to the same reason, this health condition is also called fallen arches. Numerous reasons can lead a person towards flat feet. According to healthcare professionals, genetic reasons can also play a significant role in the development of flat feet. Hence, it is important to keep this fact in mind and act go for the treatments accordingly.

Are flat feet genetic?

What exactly are flat feet? 

When a person is having flat feet, the arch of the foot will be depressed. Along with that, you will notice that the sole is completely in contact along with the ground as well. This is not an uncommon health condition. According to statistical information, around 20% to 30% of the world population is having flat feet. That’s mainly because their arches were never developed with birth. This is the main reason why people assume that flat feet are a genetic health condition.

A person who is affected with flat feet will find it a difficult task to walk or run. That’s because it would apply higher pressure on the ankles. You will get pain in the ankles when you are running. On the other hand, it can disrupt the general alignment of legs as well. That’s because the ankles are moving inward, which can cause discomfort. It can lead a person to get complications with knees as well. Due to the same reason, it is possible to call flat feet a distributor of arthritis as well.

Are flat feet genetic? 

There is no strong evidence available to prove that flat feet are entirely a genetic health condition. However, there are situations where children are born with flat feet because of genetics. This health condition would take place because of a single gene, which comes with a single gene, and a single recessive allele, which is a gene variant. According to recent studies about if are flat feet genetic, it has been identified that most of the cases associated with flat feet take place due to genes. 

For example, a person can get flat feet when one allele associated with a gene is not functional. This can lead a person towards recessive diseases, such as flat feet. However, we will still need to do more research on this area to figure out the relationship that exists between flat feet and genetics. 

Some people are born with flat feet

people born with flat feet

As mentioned earlier, some people are born with flat feet. In fact, all human beings are born with flat feet. When you take a look at a kid, you will notice that there aren’t any permanent and properly developed arches. They develop during the early grades of attending school. However, some of the kids will not develop this. Those kids are having flat feet as a health condition. 

It is also important to understand that some of the kids will not be able to get permanent arches due to injuries or accidents that they face during childhood. If this is the case, we will not be able to tell whether that kid has got flat feet because of genetics or not.

Flat feet can create a negative impact on biomechanics

Flat feet have the ability to create an overall impact on the biomechanics of an individual as well. When your feet are flat, the joints and other structures of the feet can get misaligned. Things can worsen along with time as you walk. In other words, your feet will roll inward too much as you are running or walking. This will eventually trigger a chain reaction. 

Flat feet negative impact

The chain reaction can create a negative impact on your hips and leg bones as well. That’s because they will need to push themselves extensively in order to keep proper alignment of the body. In other words, the hip and leg bones will be subjected to extensive wear and tear as they are trying to overcome the imbalance created by the feet. A person will not be able to experience the negative effects that come along with it immediately. It will take time for the pain and other adverse effects to develop. However, it is important for you to keep this fact in your mind so that you will not have to deal with any frustration in the long run due to flat feet.

As the very first symptom, you will get pain. Along with that, you will have to experience fatigue. If you ignore it, you will end up getting into serious health issues, such as bunions, heel pain, and arthritis. This can ruin your life. That’s why it is important for you to do an evaluation of your feet and make sure that you recover fast. You will then be able to refrain from getting these symptoms.

Final words

As you can see there is some reasons to think if flat feet are genetic and there is evidence available to showcase the fact that flat feet can be caused by genes. In other words, we can easily find examples for situations where flat feet run in families. If your family has a history of flat feet, you need to keep in mind that flat feet can happen to you at any given stage of your life as well. In most instances, it can affect you at birth, but there are situations where flat feet can affect you during other stages of life. 

Getting flat feet doesn’t mean that you will have to deal with pain, there are some things you can do on your own to start reducing the pain like trying some of the best exercises for flat feet. There are certain people who don’t have to deal with any pain at all after getting flat feet. Those individuals have the opportunity to continue with their lives without encountering any challenges. However, some of the people with flat feet would find life extremely difficult. If you are one of them, you will need to go ahead with the treatments available to overcome the health condition.

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V. Deol
I am the owner and main Editor at The Flat Feet. With a degree in PE and years of research I know how to deal with flat feet. Whether you are a baseball player, runner, nurse, etc, I feel confident to suggest you the right footwear to you.

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