How can I lower my high arches?

Hi Gary,
I came across your pdf for correcting collapsing arches online...I have the opposite problem..very high arches..approx 22mm. It is almost impossible to find shoes other than Moszkitos sandals. with arch support of 19mm..nevertheless..it is never quite enough.

I have seen doctors..no one offers hope for changing my arches myself..I believe with the proper exercise I could lower my arches just enough to be comfortable in “regular” shoes..can you give me any direction with this?

Thank you very much for your time,

Wendy
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Gary:
Wendy, I come across this problem now and then especially in people who do a lot of exercise such as running.  When questioned they usually report their shoe size being less than it was in their early 20's, indicating that there has been a slow shortening of the tendons of the feet.

Typically, the toes will appear bunched up, sometimes called "Hammer Toes" and the arch is unusually high.  The foot is typically inflexible.

The bunching and tightening appears to be due to the tendons and ligaments becoming short and tight causing the feet to become short and tight.  Wearing high heels may make matters worse.

I suspect there are a couple of things going on:

1. Shortening of the tendons and ligaments.  Similar to Dupuytren disease.
2. Shortening of the muscles in the feet and calf regions.

The cause of the shortening of the tendons and ligaments is what I associate with extreme and unrelenting stress, both physical and psychological.  This may include stress on body systems from accumulation of toxic elements such as arsenic, lead and mercury.   Sources of these toxins include treated timber, pesticides, fungicides, exhaust fumes, some red lipsticks, firing guns, eating tuna and amalgam fillings.

These stressors rapidly deplete the body of essential vitamins and minerals that are needed for the formation of healthy collagen.

These same stressors may increase muscle tension and shortening.

The first step to restoring healthy collagen is to determine if there are any toxins such as lead within the body and to find out if there are any imbalances of vitamins and minerals that may be contributing to muscle tension and poor collagen.  I often suspect chronic iodine deficiency which is most severe in vegetarians.  Blood tests, while useful, are insufficient.  The most useful and comprehensive tool is the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis which can be ordered through me.

In conjunction with working out your vitamin and mineral balances and then correcting these you can make an immediate start with the following:

• Commence a daily routine of stretching the feet and calf muscles.  This must include sitting back on your heels Japanese-style.
• Get a firm once-weekly massage of the feet and legs.
• Avoid high heel shoes.
• Walk barefoot on grass and preferably on sand at every opportunity.
• Identify all the stressors in your life and eliminate or minimise these one at a time.

Thank you for writing in about this interesting topic.  Readers are invited to contribute with their ideas and advice by posting comments below this article.

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High Heel Shoes - Foot pain that won't go away

Gary
A week ago my partner was at work wearing high heels and she felt a twinge of pain in her foot, but just assumed that it was minor and that it would be right once she got off her feet. That night she took her shoe off and couldnt place any pressure on her foot at all, and the joint area under the big toe was badly swolen.

She has seen a doctor since (the next day) and was advised to and bandage it and elevate it. She was also advised to go back in a week if it hadnt shown signs of improving.

It is now a week later and it hasnt really improved. Is this time line accurate (as some online accounts show if mistreated then the long term effects are more severe). Should she be seeing a specialist, and is it likely that continued elevation/compression etc is enough.
Dan
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Gary responds:
Dan,
Icing and resting an injury for more than about two days is usually long enough (I personally think that ice is mostly an overhyped therapy btw). If there has not been substantial progress by a week, one must suspect there is something more amiss than a simple sprain.

The next step is to get a few xrays of the foot. There is a possibility that she has done damage to the small sesamoid bones at the base of the big toe region of the foot. She may have even pinged the tendon of the big toe. Most of these injuries can be figured out without the need for expensive imaging, if only the examiner would take their time, first in obtaining an accurate history, understanding the intricacies of foot mechanics and then palpating the foot effectively to locate the exact source of the pain.

So, please go back to the doctor and see about getting a foot xray. Be guided, first and foremost, by what the doctor recommends because, he/she is there on the spot and I am not. Please send me the results of any further examinations and I may have some specific advice.

With regards to shoes: High heels are ridiculous items of fashion really! I personally much prefer the look of a woman in a tasteful pair of flats. Men look better in high heels. High heel shoes do all kinds of lasting damage to not just the feet but to the ankles, knees and even the low back.

If your partner insists of wearing such items of fashion in the future, she should have a pair of flat shoes that she wears to and from work. While at work, there is no reason why she can not slip the high heels off when at her desk and around the "back of the office", reserving her high heels for those special moments in her day. Incidentally, I put high heels and bras in the same category - damaging to women's health (Bras cut off the lymphatic flow for the breast).

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