Self Treatment of Flat Foot, Pronation and Posterior Tibial Tendonitis

Home remedies for flat feet and over-pronation

When treating flat foot, (sometimes called fallen arches or pronation) you are often not treating the flat foot itself, but rather, the symptoms caused by flat foot. So if you have any of the following problems that are often associated with a flat foot, you can use the links below to find self treatment page for each condition.

• Heel pain / plantar fasciitis
• Ball of foot pain

The key to treating flat feet is to:

1. Prevent the arch from collapsing
2. Prevent the heel from rolling inward

7 Step Home Treatment Plan for Flat Feet

We’ve listed below some of the best over-the-counter arch supports, braces and shoes for flat feet. Be aware, however, that flat feet (especially VERY flat feet) often need more support than that provided by prefabricated arch supports. These OTC products are often worth trying, but those with very flat feet and severe pronation often require a custom orthotic. The products below are the ones we recommend to our patients and they are also affiliate links so we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if your order from the link.

Try the following for no more than three weeks. If that doesn’t work, see a podiatrist with expertise in orthotic therapy.

1. Use an arch support in your shoes. This will act to transfer force off of the ball of your foot. OTC arch supports will not work as well as a quality custom orthotic, but will help. The best that we have found for flat feet is the FootChair Podiatrist Designed Orthotic. FootChair has a semi-rigid and adjustable arch height which helps tremendously to support flat feet. It is also wider than most other OTC arch supports which is critical to support flat feet as they tend to splay. Arch height is adjustable by the addition of specially designed arch pads.
2. For Women’s dress shoes and boots (and smaller sport shoes such as soccer cleats), use FootChair Slim Orthotics.  These are the best OTC orthotics we have found for high heels, dress boots and other smaller shoes. Great for flat footed women who wear dress shoes. These have the same unique adjustable arch height as the full size FootChair but in a much slimmer profile.
3. Instead of slippers, use a sandal with an arch support to wear around the house. This will act to support your arch when you are not wearing shoes. We recommend the Vionic Arch Support Flip-Flops for its superior arch support.
4. For times you cannot wear shoes (for example when doing Yoga, ballet or other barefoot or minimal shoe activities) use the Aircast AirHeel. The AirHeel uses two interconnected aircells located under the foot arch and in back of the heel to support the foot nearly as well as an orthotic. Can be worn while barefoot or in minimal shoes.
5. For Severe flat foot: Severe flatfoot often requires much more support than a prefabricated arch support can provide. If your feet are severely flat, you will eventually need a custom orthotic. If you cannot get custom orthotics right away, the AirLift PTTD Ankle Brace is made especially for the treatment of severe flat foot including flat feet associated with posterior tibialis dysfunction.
6. Use shoes with excellent support features. You can find a list of Seattle area shoe stores on our Shoe List. If you don’t have a good shoe store nearby, these Orthofeet Shoes for Women and Orthofeet Shoes for Men provide great support for flat feet.
7. Strengthen the Arch: Strengthening your arch won’t give you a higher arch, but it can help reduce pain associated with flat feet. The most effective exercises for the arch of the foot are to do one-leg balance exercises. Start on the floor. When you can stand on one foot on the floor for 30 seconds, start doing it on a wobble board.