Collapsed Arches

The visible arch alone is insufficient to determine the correct intervention for a collapsed arch. A collapsed arch can have more than one mechanical cause despite a similar flat-foot appearance. A foot can also look flat when an inverted calcaneus remains locked while the first ray drops as a compensation. A flat-looking arch may occur when calcaneal eversion unlocks the midfoot and forefoot, allowing pronation and arch flattening. Posterior tibialis damage can be associated with a collapsed arch because the muscle supports arch formation.