We at Syracuse Podiatry talk a lot about healthy feet, but what does a healthy arch actually look like? Your foot arch isn’t just a curve for no reason. It absorbs shock, helps you balance, and keeps you walking and running forward. But with all the talk about flat feet and high arches, you’ve probably been wondering if your arch is, well, normal. Here’s how you can tell.
Getting to Know Your Arch
The easiest way to get acquainted with your arch is the classic wet test. It’s a simple, messy experiment you can do right now.
- Wet the sole of your foot (a shallow pan of water works well).
- Step onto a piece of cardboard or dark paper.
- Step off and check the footprint.
What a Healthy Arch Looks Like:
If you see a footprint that’s about half filled in, with a distinct curve on the inner side, congratulations. There’s a strong chance you have a neutral or average arch. This is the ideal structure because it efficiently distributes your weight.
What an Abnormal Arch Looks Like:
Flat Feet
If you see nearly your entire footprint with little to no curve, you have a flat foot (pes planus). This means your arch collapses under your weight. If you’re someone with chronic heel or knee pain, it may be because of your flat feet.
High Arch
If your footprint shows only your heel, the ball of your foot, and your toes, connected by a very thin band or nothing at all, you have a high arch. The downside here is that your foot can be too rigid, which means all your weight concentrates on your heel and forefoot. This can increase your chances of metatarsalgia or even stress fractures.
How Podiatrists Assess Arch Health
We don’t recommend officially diagnosing yourself. There are 4 tests we’d run to understand your arch.
First, we’d do a thorough visual and palpation exam to assess your arch’s flexibility, which involves checking if the arch appears when your foot is sitting or on tiptoes, and feeling the key supporting tendons.
Next, we might conduct a weight-bearing exam, which checks how your arch collapses when you stand, the angle of your heel, and if your foot inwardly rolls too much.
We’ll also check how you walk. We have specialized pressure mapping to track exactly how your foot absorbs force and distributes pressure in motion.
And to be completely sure, we might do a weight-bearing X-ray to officially classify the severity of the arch and rule out structural problems.
For advice related to any podiatric concerns you’re facing, the expert team at Syracuse Podiatry is here to help guide you. Contact us today so Dr. Ryan L. D’Amico, Dr. Donal M. Erickson, Dr. Keith Sherman, and Dr. Nicholas Cronin can elevate your foot health and help your feet feel their best.