Anyone had surgery for flat feet? In constant pain.

[Sickoffamilydrama]

Hi wise MN. I've got very flat feet, I'm in constant pain one foot is worse than the other and it's twisting inwards and developing a bunion so if that isn't sore than under my foot is although at the moment it's flexion that is painful.

I'm hyper mobile and used to dislocate my knee caps a lot, as part of the therapy for that I've tried in soles but they just left me in agony even with building up the time I wrote them.

I wear supportive shoes no slip ons or high heels.
I'm just stick of being in pain and considering asking my GP to refer me to a surgeon see what they can do.

I'm hypermobile so suspect my ligaments just aren't holding my feet properly.

I'm just so feed up being in pain I feel like I've always got some kind of joint pain.... because I bloody well have. I spent years dislocating my knee caps and then years being in pain because the ligaments were so stretched they stopped functioning, had the worst one replaced and it's a lot better now. My pelvis shifted when I was pregnant and I now have siatica on and off.

So now I've got my moan or anyone had similar and had successful or not surgery?

I want to be more active managing about 5/6000 steps a day want to get to at least 10000 but that would cause me agony for days, also I want one night of sleep without pain.

Nope but I suffer the same and it’s driving me mad!

If you are hypermobile then there is a chance the surgery may fail or that your feet will revert back to the way they were. If you get to see a surgeon they will probably tell you this anyway. You could also suffer slower healing as well .

Have you had any physio? Do you use orthotics? (Spelling?)
Surgery seems a drastic option and I’m not sure how they would create an arch. Would have issues with scar tissue etc??

Had terrible pain. Now have custom made orthotics. Seems to have helped also wide fitting shoes to accommodate them. Wide fitting trainers with zips means i can lossen them to accommodate them. Best fittings in years

Thanks for the replies, had physio in the past except for when I paid for it privately then it didn't make much of a difference.

Had orthotics in there past as well, I couldn't get past wearing them for about 3 hours without it causing me pain for days, I could hardly walk.

Yes I know surgery is more risky just probably feed up and just really want it fixed, which may not be the right thing.

Probably right about the healing when they replaced my patella femoral tendon it took 10 weeks before I was recovered enough to work ( although was a on my feet job), they expected it would take 6 weeks.

I will speak to my GP see if I can get a referral to someone anyone who might be able to help. Luckily I have health insurance through work.

Sinner or whatever makes you feel better.

I'm not sure if it's he same, I have flat feet, but live in big non supported shoes/boots the more I can replicate walking bare foot the better.

I walk miles a day. boots have to be a size bigger, to stop any pressure on the sides of my feet.

walking in fitted trainers or shoes with a supported arch for a few hours, makes my joints (hips knees) ache as well as achey and burning feet.

Were your orthotics made to measure or shop bought? There's a massive difference between them. You could ask for a referral to Surgical Appliances, they will take casts of your feet and also provide supports. I'm hypermobile and have flat feet but have been told repeatedly that surgery won't work and would probably make things worse. I'm currently having a bad spell painwise and I'm finding wearing full compression tights or 1000mile socks in the day and tubigrip at night means I can hobble about or stand up for short periods. You may have a bursar which is unbelievably painful. Walking is too painful or the payoff the next day makes it too difficult, so I bike rather than walk as it way easier on my feet and ankles. More fun too. It's horrible and I hope you find some relief soon.

Thanks blue & times I definitely have to start supportive cushioned shoes if I don't then I really pay for it.

I've had orthotics from podiatry but I don't think they actually moulded my foot.

You given me a few things that I can push for in sorry others are in a similar position.

Wear not start. Definitely already wear supportive shoes I couldn't go bigger.

Orthotics can be made to measure on the nhs for children but I think you pay for adults. Really effective and take about 6 weeks to come. I find Nike air something or other trainers really good for my feet but that’s dependent on your foot. You may be able to support your knee/hip/instep with tape (kinesiology) but you need a physio to teach you how to do it.

I have flat feet and have been doing the exercises in a book called The Foot Fix. They are a bit boring but seem to be working!

Op, I have fallen arches but have been in orthopaedic shoes/made to measure insoles all my life. I have found the NHS advice/physio very lacking and untimely (like being given the treatment and advice they would give to an 80 year old person who might not need to be on their feet much at all or being given exercises that could only have had an effect if I had practised them for months before the issue became a problem, things have only worked when I went private but even so, things that work in the last 10 years are not working anymore.

I have found that keeping my weight low helps my feet and my knees. And forget about the walking thousands of steps a day, that makes the situation far worse for us with feet problems and doesn’t really help with the weight issue. I suggest doing Pilates instead as they don’t hurt your feet at all but can help you build the muscle correctly in the right places so your knees and back are well supported, which in turn makes things easier for your feet. They also help to control your appetite which helps to keep the weigh reasonable.

I would research Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, as you are hyper mobile and female I would avoid foot surgery as you are predisposed to developing it, the extra time to recover from your knee surgery is another red flag.

www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Complex-Regional-Pain-Syndrome-Fact-Sheet