#FootPain Archives | Dubai Podiatry Centre

23/Jul/2026

One of the most common questions patients ask at Dubai Podiatry Centre is:

“Am I too old to treat my flat feet?”

The simple answer is no.

Many people believe that flat feet can only be treated during childhood and that once you become an adult, nothing more can be done. Fortunately, this is one of the biggest misconceptions we hear in clinic.

Not Everyone Diagnosed with Flat Feet Actually Has Flat Feet

There are several different types of flat feet, but the most common condition we see is not a true flat foot at all.

In many cases, the ankle leans inwards, causing the arch to collapse under body weight. The arch then appears flat, even though the foot itself still has the ability to regain its natural shape once the ankle is correctly aligned.

Rather than thinking of the foot as permanently flat, it is often more accurate to think of it as an arch that has collapsed because the ankle is no longer supporting it correctly.

Adult flat feet before and after custom orthotics showing improved heel alignment and foot posture

Child with flat feet before and after podiatry treatment using custom orthotics showing corrected heel alignment

Adult Treatment Can Actually Be Faster

Many people are surprised when we explain that correcting this type of flat foot can actually progress faster in adults than in children.

Children have high levels of human growth hormone, which keeps their ligaments soft, flexible and easy to manipulate. This makes repositioning the bones relatively straightforward and usually very comfortable.

However, because the ligaments are constantly growing and remodelling, they often take longer to adapt and stabilise in their new position. For this reason, children commonly progress through each stage of treatment over approximately three to six months.

Adults are different.

Adult ligaments are firmer and less elastic, so there can be slightly more resistance when repositioning the foot. For this reason, we usually make smaller adjustments at each stage.

Once the bones have been repositioned, however, the adult foot often adapts surprisingly quickly. Instead of waiting three to six months between stages, many adults can progress every one to three months, allowing treatment to advance more rapidly.

Similar to Orthodontic Braces

A useful comparison is orthodontic braces for the teeth.

Most people understand that braces are not just for children. Adults successfully wear braces every day to gradually reposition their teeth into better alignment.

Corrective orthotics work on a similar principle.

Instead of moving teeth, they gently reposition the bones of the feet and ankles in carefully planned stages. As the alignment improves, the arch is supported more effectively and, in suitable cases, the foot can gradually regain a healthier arch shape.

Each new stage builds upon the previous one, allowing gradual correction rather than trying to make one large adjustment all at once.

It’s Never Too Late to Have an Assessment

If you have been told you have flat feet, it does not necessarily mean your feet are permanently flat.

The first step is determining why your arch has collapsed. For many patients, the underlying issue is ankle alignment rather than the shape of the foot itself.

With the correct diagnosis and a staged treatment plan, adults can often achieve significant improvements in foot alignment, comfort and function.

So if you’ve been wondering whether you’ve left it too late to treat your flat feet, the answer may be much more encouraging than you expected.

At Dubai Podiatry Centre, we regularly assess both children and adults and develop personalised treatment plans based on the specific cause of each patient’s foot alignment, because no two cases of flat feet are exactly the same.

For more information or to book an appointment please call our clinic +971 4 3435390 or WhatsApp +971 50 3553024

Dubai Podiatry Centre

23/Jul/2026

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. People typically notice it when they take their first steps out of bed in the morning or when they stand after sitting for a prolonged period. The pain often eases after walking for a few minutes, only to return again after periods of rest.

What is the plantar fascia?

The plantar fascia is a strong band of connective tissue that runs from the heel bone (calcaneus) to the base of the toes. Its primary function is to help support the arch of the foot.

When you walk, run or land from a jump, the plantar fascia becomes tensioned, helping the arch maintain its shape and absorb forces. Without this support, the bones of the midfoot would be subjected to much greater mechanical stress.

A healthy plantar fascia is not designed to remain under constant tension. Instead, it should be relatively relaxed at rest and become taut only when required during movement and weight-bearing activities.

Why does plantar fasciitis develop?

The term plantar fasciitis literally means inflammation associated with the plantar fascia. Although the pain is felt in the heel, the discomfort is usually concentrated where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone.

Rather than viewing plantar fasciitis as simply an isolated heel problem, it is often more helpful to consider why the plantar fascia has become overloaded in the first place.

In many people, the ligaments and muscles of the foot provide enough stability to support the arch without excessive strain on the plantar fascia. However, if the alignment of the foot changes, the plantar fascia may remain under tension for much longer than it was designed to.

One of the most common contributing factors is excessive pronation of the foot and ankle. As the foot rolls inward, the plantar fascia may become progressively tensioned throughout standing and walking instead of only during the phases when it is normally required.

An easy way to understand the problem

Imagine holding a single strand of long hair with a heavy weight attached to the end.

The hair itself is not painful.

The pain would occur where the hair is anchored into the scalp because that attachment point is constantly being pulled.

Once the weight is removed, the strain at the attachment point disappears.

The plantar fascia behaves in a similar way. The discomfort usually develops where the fascia attaches into the heel bone rather than within the fascia itself. If excessive tension continues day after day, this attachment site can become irritated and painful.

Why is the pain worse in the morning?

Many people notice that the first few steps in the morning are the most painful.

After sleeping or sitting for a prolonged period, blood flow and tissue fluid movement slow down. When the foot is suddenly loaded, the already irritated attachment of the plantar fascia is placed under tension again, producing the characteristic sharp heel pain.

As you begin walking, the calf muscles act as a pump, improving circulation through the lower leg and foot. This often reduces discomfort temporarily, which explains why many people feel better after several minutes of walking.

Treating the cause—not just the symptoms

While heel cushions, supportive insoles and stretching programmes may provide symptom relief for some individuals, long-term improvement depends on identifying and correcting the mechanical cause of the overload.

If excessive pronation or another alignment abnormality is placing unnecessary tension on the plantar fascia, simply adding cushioning beneath the heel may not adequately address the underlying problem.

A corrective orthotic is designed to improve foot and ankle alignment rather than simply support the arch. Because every person walks differently, the correction required for the left foot is often different from that required for the right foot. The amount of correction should therefore be individually prescribed.

As the abnormal strain on the plantar fascia is reduced over time, the attachment at the heel is given the opportunity to recover, allowing symptoms to gradually settle while also addressing the underlying biomechanical problem that contributed to the condition.

The key message

Plantar fasciitis should not simply be viewed as inflammation of the heel. In many cases, it is the result of an underlying mechanical imbalance that places excessive and prolonged tension on the plantar fascia where it attaches to the heel bone.

Successful long-term treatment focuses on identifying the biomechanical cause, correcting the alignment of the foot and ankle, and reducing the abnormal forces responsible for the condition. By addressing the underlying mechanics rather than simply cushioning the symptoms, many patients can achieve lasting relief and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

For more information or to book an appointment please call our clinic +971 4 3435390 or WhatsApp +971 50 3553024

Dubai Podiatry Centre

23/Jul/2026

A patient attended our clinic today complaining of severe pain underneath the outside of his left foot. The pain had become so intense that he was limping and described the sensation as walking on a sharp piece of glass.

On examination, we found a hard corn underneath the fifth metatarsal head on the outside border of his left foot. Many people assume that a corn is the problem, but in reality a corn is often the body’s attempt to protect itself from excessive pressure.

We removed the corn painlessly, and the patient experienced immediate relief. However, we explained that unless we addressed the underlying cause, the corn would simply return.

To investigate further, we performed a 3D body scan and biomechanical assessment.

The results were fascinating.

The patient had a significant imbalance throughout his body. His left leg was functionally longer than his right. His pelvis was tilted, with the right side anteriorly tilted and the left side posteriorly tilted. He was carrying considerably more body weight through the left side of his body, creating excessive pressure beneath the outside of the left foot.

His medical history helped explain the pattern. He had previously undergone two lower back surgeries on the left side, suffered left hip problems, torn ACL injuries involving the left knee, and undergone left Achilles tendon surgery.

Over many years, his body had adapted to these injuries.

The scan showed that his pelvis had shifted towards the left side, causing increased loading through the left leg and foot. At the same time, his right foot was internally rotated and functioning almost like a golfer at the top of a backswing position. This created high tensile stress through the right Achilles tendon, the right knee, and the lower back while simultaneously increasing compression forces through the left side of the body.

The painful corn underneath the left foot was simply the area where the body was absorbing the greatest amount of pressure.

The development of a corn follows a predictable sequence.

First, the body produces a layer of hard skin to protect itself. This creates a broad plaque of callus, similar to a pancake of thicker skin.

If the pressure continues, the body creates a concentrated plug of dense keratin at the centre of the pressure point. Keratin is the same material found in toenails. This hard central core forms what we recognise as a hard corn.

As pressure continues to increase, inflammation develops beneath the area. Patients often describe burning, stinging, or sharp sensations. This was the stage our patient had reached.

If left untreated, the next stage can be the formation of a soft corn. The tissues become saturated with inflammatory fluid and appear white, rubbery, and extremely painful.

The final stage is tissue breakdown and ulceration.

This progression is particularly important in patients with diabetes, neuropathy, or vascular disease. These patients may not feel the early warning signs of pressure and pain. As a result, the protective stages can progress unnoticed until an ulcer develops.

Many patients believe ulcers appear suddenly and without warning. In reality, the body often gives multiple warning signals beforehand, but if sensation is reduced, those signals may not be recognised.

For this patient, the solution was not repeated corn removal.

The solution was correcting the forces causing the corn.

We prescribed custom corrective orthotics designed specifically for his individual biomechanics. The right orthotic was intentionally very different from the left because each side of the body required a different correction.

The aim was to improve pelvic balance, reduce the functional leg length discrepancy, redistribute pressure more evenly between both feet, and decrease excessive loading through the left foot.

We performed further scans with the orthotics in place and saw immediate improvements in alignment and pressure distribution.

The body can be compared to a wobbly table. If one table leg is shorter than the others, the tabletop becomes uneven. Placing a carefully measured support beneath the shorter leg restores balance.

Corrective orthotics work in a similar way. While we cannot make one leg physically grow longer, we can improve balance and alignment so that the body functions more efficiently and with less stress.

The patient will return in three months for reassessment. As the body adapts to improved alignment, muscle tension, posture, and weight distribution can all change. Repeat scanning will allow us to monitor these changes and determine whether further orthotic adjustments are required.

The important lesson from this case is that a corn is rarely just a skin problem.

A corn is often a warning sign that excessive pressure is travelling through a specific part of the foot. Removing the corn may provide temporary relief, but identifying and correcting the underlying mechanical cause is what provides a long-term solution.

For more information or to book an appointment please call our clinic +971 4 3435390 or WhatsApp +971 50 3553024

BLOG

Is It Too Late to Treat Flat Feet?

Understanding Plantar Fasciitis: Looking Beyond the Heel Pain

The Painful Corn Wasn’t the Problem – It Was the Warning Sign