Holiday shopping is in full swing. All over, people are spending hours and hours running around picking up gifts for family and friends. While this can be fun, foot pain can ruin those hours. Issues like posterior tibial tendon dysfunction allow arches to fall and fatigue the lower limbs quickly. Fortunately, physical therapy can make big difference for your foot stability and strength.

Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) is any problem that damages or weakens the posterior tibial tendon, destabilizing your arch. This tendon runs along the inside of your ankle, behind the inner ankle bump, and underneath the arch of your foot. When it’s weakened, injured, or torn, your arch falls inward and creates flat feet. This is the most common cause of adult acquired flatfoot issues.

Overuse is the most common source of this problem—which means conservative measures are usually quite effective for managing it. Physical therapy in particular can help relax and strengthen the tendon. Here are a few exercises that may help alleviate discomfort from your flat feet:

  • Towel Pull – Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you. Loop a towel or exercise band around the ball of your foot. Keep your knee straight and pull back gently on the towel. Hold for several seconds, then relax. Repeat this with your knee bent slightly.

  • Toes on Wall Stretch – Put the ball of your foot against a wall a few inches off the ground, while keeping your heel on the floor. Keep your knee straight and gently lean toward the wall until you feel the stretch. Hold for a few seconds, then relax and repeat it with a bent knee.

  • Towel Scrunch – Lay a towel flat on the floor. With bare feet, use just your toes to scrunch the towel closer to yourself.

  • Heel and Toe Raises – Sit with your feet flat on the ground. Slowly raise your heels as high off the ground as you can 10 times. Then reverse and raise your toes off the ground 10 times.

Rather than letting flat feet strain your lower limbs and create pain, be active about your foot health and strength. See how Martin Foot and Ankle in Pennsylvania can help with this. Contact any of our offices in Hanover, Lancaster, Lititz and York, PA, to make an appointment with us. You can call (717) 757-3537 or use the website to reach us.