Flat feet issue

[OTIS]

I have flat feet, i have no arch in my foot when it is on the ground, and they naturally point a little inward. My knees also bend a bit inward as well. Does this have any effect on how my legs will develop? I also wonder if its a safety issue, i have never done freeweight squats, i always use a smith machine just to be sure i wont have an injury.
Thanks

[john917v]

My knees bend inward. At times, it causes my knees to want to go inwards while doing freeweight squats. You can try doing squats at a weight that is light for you, and if it doesn't hurt, try a little more, and so on. Or, you can just ask your Dr.

[Ross86]

I did smith machine squats today for the first time ever this morning. Compared to free weights, I think that squatting with a smith machine is more likely to cause injuries and imbalances IF you have good form. Try squatting with free weights. You have nothing to lose by trying.

[Pitysister]

ross you got maximum strength right? pretty sure cressey has a rant in there about using a smith machine for.....anything.

[Ross86]

Originally Posted by Pitysister

ross you got maximum strength right? pretty sure cressey has a rant in there about using a smith machine for.....anything.

It's at my gym back home. I left it there for the owner to read over the foam roller section. I haven't read much of the book yet, so I missed that rant. Besides, I'm on vacation and I had to work out at some tiny local gym with practically no free weights. Give me a break

[Pitysister]

Originally Posted by Ross86

It's at my gym back home. I left it there for the owner to read over the foam roller section. I haven't read much of the book yet, so I missed that rant. Besides, I'm on vacation and I had to work out at some tiny local gym with practically no free weights. Give me a break

just bustin your balls grandpa i loaned mine to a friend...i'm without as well :(

[hrdgain81]

OTIS, I have the same problem, and its been a pain in the ass for a long time. Flat feet cause all kinds of problems in the legs and lower back, I got a pair of custom orthodics insoles for my shoes and sneakers and it helps tremendously.

I got mine through my chiropractor, and they were not cheap, like 800 per pair, but with insurance I think I paid 40 bucks or something like that. You may want to look into it.

[Pitysister]

holy hot tits. 800???? i was looking through the catalog at my chiro last week for orthotics....they did not list prices though

[hrdgain81]

^^ yeah they were stupid expensive. But my insurance covered almost all of it, and let me get two pairs. So i have a full length pair I wear in my dress shoes to work, and trimmed back version that fits in my sneakers.

[Andrew.cook]

I too have flat feet.

I think there are a couple camps out there on this issue. First is the "your feet are built wrong use orthotics" camp, and the other side (which I kinda buy into) is the "Your feet have been so pampered by modern cushion and support that they are simply lacking the strength to function as they should (barefoot).

The first camp is obviously a solve it using science mentality. The second camp is a get back to your ancestry mentality.

So we always complain and whine about the cushion in our shoes and so on. The real issue is not that our bodies are not meant to walk, or run even. We are supremely designed to do such things. In fact, some of the most prodigious runners on our planet are primitive people who run in little more than a leather sandal (or sometimes made of old tire). http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/23/fa...3Barefoot.html

http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm This kind of study prompted me to buy these: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/pro...TOKEN=29074702

The Vibram Five fingers (kinda pricey, but fun once you get used to them) are like wrapping your foot in rubber tread. Your toes individually work as they would barefoot. There is no cushion at all, and I can tell you that after playing with these for a few years they are still in good shape, as are my feet and legs.