Hypermobility and Flat Feet — What You Need to Know
If you or your child has flat feet, there’s a good chance hypermobility is playing a role. Joint hypermobility is one of the most common causes of flat feet, and understanding the connection can make a real difference to how effectively the problem is managed.
What’s the Connection?
Think of your foot arch like a bridge. The bones form the structure, but it’s the ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue that hold everything together — like the cables on a suspension bridge.
In people with hypermobility, those “cables” are stretchier than normal. Under body weight, they allow the arch to flatten more than it should, and the foot rolls inward. This isn’t just a cosmetic issue — it changes how forces are distributed through the foot, ankle, knee, and hip with every step you take.
The tibialis posterior tendon is the key player here. It’s the primary supporter of your arch, running from the calf muscle down behind the inner ankle bone and attaching to several bones in the midfoot. When the connective tissue is lax, this tendon has to work much harder to hold the arch up — and over time, it can become strained and painful.
Flat Feet in Hypermobile Children: Will They Grow Out of It?
Most young children have flat feet — it’s a normal part of development. The arch typically develops between the ages of 3 and 7 as the ligaments strengthen and the fat pad under the arch reduces.
For many hypermobile children, the arch does develop, just sometimes a bit later than their peers. However, some children don’t develop a strong arch because their connective tissue remains too flexible to support one.
Signs that your child’s flat feet may need attention rather than monitoring:
- They complain of pain in their feet, legs, or knees
- They seem more tired than their peers after physical activity
- They avoid sport or active play
- They trip or fall more frequently than other children their age
- They ask to be carried more than you’d expect for their age
- They have “growing pains” that seem more intense or frequent than normal
- You notice their shoes wearing out unevenly or very quickly
If your child is hypermobile and showing any of these signs, it’s worth having a children’s podiatry assessment. Early intervention can prevent compensatory patterns from becoming entrenched and help your child participate more confidently in activity and sport.
Flat Feet in Hypermobile Adults
For adults, hypermobile flat feet tend to be more symptomatic. Years of walking on feet that pronate excessively can lead to plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, bunions, and chronic ankle instability. The arch may have been flat since childhood, or it may have gradually collapsed over time as the supporting structures fatigued.
The important thing to understand is that hypermobile flat feet aren’t just “the shape of your feet.” They’re a functional issue that can be effectively managed with the right support.
What Can a Podiatrist Do?
A podiatrist can assess whether your flat feet are related to hypermobility and develop a treatment plan that addresses the underlying cause, not just the symptoms. This typically includes:
- Custom orthotics to provide the arch support that your lax connective tissue can’t
- Strengthening exercises to build the intrinsic foot muscles and improve ankle stability
- Footwear advice to ensure your shoes are supporting rather than undermining your feet
- Gait analysis to understand your specific movement patterns
- Physical therapy for any painful conditions that have developed as a result
Research shows that custom orthotics can significantly reduce pain and improve quality of life in hypermobile patients. They don’t fix the hypermobility itself, but they provide the external support system that reduces how hard your muscles have to work on every step.
Concerned about flat feet? Book an assessment at Foot Health Clinic Samford — call (07) 3289 6050 or book online.
