Ankle & foot Orthopaedic Rehabilitation
Flat Feet
- Aching in the arch or inner ankle after standing or walking
- The arch flattening when standing
- Uneven shoe wear
- Sometimes knee or hip pain
Quick answer
Flat feet means the arch of the foot flattens when standing. Most flat feet are painless and need no treatment at all. Where they cause aching in the arch, inner ankle or knee, strengthening the foot and hip muscles plus appropriate footwear resolves most cases in eight to twelve weeks.
Typical recovery
8–12 weeks where treatment is needed
A typical range, not a promise — how long it takes depends on how long it has been going on, and on what you do between appointments.
A flat foot is one whose arch lowers or disappears on standing. It is extremely common, frequently entirely painless, and in many people simply how their foot is built.
The key point: a flat foot that does not hurt does not need treating. Children in particular develop an arch progressively up to around age six, and flexible flat feet in children rarely need intervention.
When it does need attention
- Aching in the arch or along the inside of the ankle after standing or walking
- Fatigue in the feet at the end of the day
- Associated knee or hip pain, since the flattening rotates the leg inwards
- A foot that has become flat recently in an adult, particularly on one side — this may indicate tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction and needs assessment, because it progresses if untreated
Flexible versus rigid
A flexible flat foot forms an arch when you stand on tiptoes or when non-weight-bearing. A rigid one does not, and needs different assessment — sometimes orthopaedic.
How physiotherapy helps
- Strengthening the intrinsic foot muscles and the tibialis posterior, which supports the arch
- Hip and gluteal strengthening, because the leg rotating inwards contributes from above
- Calf flexibility, since a tight calf increases the flattening force
- Footwear advice and, where appropriate, an orthotic — as support while the muscles strengthen rather than a permanent crutch
- Graded loading if running or standing tolerance is the problem
How long it takes
Where treatment is indicated, eight to twelve weeks of strengthening usually resolves the symptoms. The arch shape itself may not change much, and does not need to.
Medically reviewed by Kapil Kumar, BPT, MPT, Orthopaedic Physiotherapy · Last reviewed September 2026