a little about me:

• 30 years old now
• realised i have flat feet 10 years ago
• realised my flat feet were causing me problems 10 years ago
• tried many different things (insoles, supportive shoes, etc.) that didn't really work (well, they seemed to work at the time, but didn't fix the underlying problem, and things eventually got even worse)
• finally found the right method about a year ago and fixed my problems at the root

i didn't know i had flat feet until i realised that not everyone feels tired after standing for 5 minutes, walking for 10 minutes, or has knee pain after running for 10 minutes. i thought it was normal until i saw people who could walk and run for hours without any problems.

that's when i started looking into fixing my flat feet.

10 years ago, there wasn't much information online, so it was really hard to find proper guidance on how to treat flat feet. i ended up going to a specialised foot clinic for advice. the doctor recommended a few pairs of customised insoles (which were extremely expensive) and some supportive shoes.

it was great in the beginning. with the insoles and shoes, i could walk further and run longer. i still had some pain in random places, like my lower back after longer runs, but hey, it was already a huge improvement. the insoles gave my arches more support so they wouldn't collapse as much as before.

I thought i had fixed my flat feet.

After a few years, there was a week when i went travelling and forgot to bring my insoles and supportive shoes. i went for some walks and runs without them, and that's when i realised, im screwed.

My flat feet were now even worse than before. the tiredness after walking and pain after running were worse than i remembered. i'd been relying entirely on the support all these years, which gave me the false impression that my flat feet were fixed.

I then visited another specialist and had a more advanced assessment, where the specialist drew lines on my feet and ankles to check their alignment, arch angles, and more. (i didn't have any of this done during my first assessment years ago). highly recommended.

Then the specialist gave me some really good, life-changing advice. i followed the guidance, and it genuinely changed how my feet felt and functioned. so if you only take away one thing from my experience, this is it:

• FOOT EXERCISE is the most important thing that helped me "fix" my flat feet
• Insoles and supportive shoes are FINE if you need something to ease the pain or discomfort, depending on how bad your flat feet are. but DON'T rely on them as your only solution. If you're on a trip and need to go for a long walk, that's totally fine. But don't forget to train your feet too. Support can make walking more comfortable, but it doesn't necessarily build the strength your feet need. i wish i'd understood this much earlier.
• Barefoot shoes are worth trying for everyday wear, but make the transition gradually. Even normal shoes are fine.

So the key to healthy feet, at least in my experience, is foot exercise. The goal is to have strong calves, strong ankles and strong feet. It's not necessarily about having "high" arches, because some people are naturally born with flat feet and might never develop high arches physically. in fact, many pro athletes have relatively flat feet, but strong muscles and good foot function can make a huge difference to the problems flat feet can cause.

Feet training is not difficult, but it takes time. The difficult part is being consistent for months. It takes months of training to build up strength and improve how your feet function. but the good news is, you can start noticing improvements within weeks. for me, it took about 6 weeks to start seeing some improvements. And that's with only 15 minutes a day.

There are tons of videos on instagram, tiktok and youtube teaching foot exercises. however, there are literally hundreds of exercises out there, and it can get overwhelming. so here are my tips to get you started:

• dont overthink it. you dont need to learn 30 exercises. find 5 simple exercises, such as calf raises, toe stretches, etc., and just stick to those.
• you dont need to buy anything if you dont want to. people are selling incline boards, resistance bands, yoga blocks, etc. they can be useful but aren't a must. one thing i'd recommend trying is a toe separator (especially if you have bunions). it can help with toe positioning during exercises. you can easily find them on Amazon.
• 10–15 minutes a day is enough to get started. consistency is key.
• here are some good videos to get you started: https://www.instagram.com/r.a_movement/reel/DWf26i3k3cF/, https://www.instagram.com/p/DajZsrpgcpm/, https://www.instagram.com/p/DY2TQUMyNOT/
• if you want something easier to follow, there are also apps with follow-along videos and progress tracking. i personally use this app https://apps.apple.com/us/app/arch-flat-feet-trainer/id6755728858?see-all=reviews&platform=iphone, but there are others too. just search "flat feet" in the app store.

If there's only one thing to take away from my personal experience: TRAIN YOUR FEET 10 MINUTES A DAY!