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Mon – Fri: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sun*: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (*alternating)

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Our simple to use, online booking process makes it easy to book an appointment with a chiropodist for any of our services. No referral needed!

Open

Mon – Fri: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sun*: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (*alternating)

Book Appointment

Book an Appointment

Our simple to use, online booking process makes it easy to book an appointment with a chiropodist for any of our services. No referral needed!

Book Appointment

Book an Appointment

Our simple to use, online booking process makes it easy to book an appointment with a chiropodist for any of our services. No referral needed!

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flat feet help tips

Effective Exercises for People with Fallen Arches

Most people with fallen arches (flat feet) won’t experience any signs or symptoms. They might not even realize that they have flat feet! But there are some people with fallen arches that aren’t so lucky. They will suffer from symptoms like chronic foot pain and swelling. They will be more susceptible to conditions like ingrown toenails, calluses and Achilles tendonitis.

Flat feet can’t be cured, but their uncomfortable symptoms can be reduced through strengthening exercises and modified footwear.

How do you get fallen arches?

The most popular cause of fallen arches is age. The older you get, the more your ligaments stretch out and lose their height. Your arches start to relax and eventually lower to the ground. If you sustain a lot of foot injuries over the course of your life, the arches will lower faster due to wear and tear.

Other common things that put people at high risk of getting fallen arches:

  • Diabetes
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Obesity
  • Pregnancy
  • Foot injury
  • Ankle injury
  • Hypermobile/Hyper-flexible feet

What are some common strengthening exercises for flat feet?

One of the best exercises for fallen arches is the towel curl. A towel curl is when you lie a towel flat on the ground, place your feet on top of it, and then scrunch the fabric with your toes. It’s much easier to do when you’re sitting on a chair. Remember to keep your feet parallel to each other, point the toes forward and root your heels into the ground. Eventually, you can make the exercise more challenging by putting a small weight onto the towel.

You should also try calf raises. Start your calf raises on a flat surface by lifting your heels and standing on the balls of your feet. Do it slowly and deliberately, so you don’t roll an ankle.

The exercise targets the calf, the bottoms of the feet, and the ankles, encouraging better stability and support. This benefit is especially important for people who have balance issues and uneven gait because of overpronation. The term overpronation means your foot rolls more inward or downward than it should.

Other exercises that can stretch and strengthen your feet to combat the symptoms of fallen arches:

  • Toe extensions
  • Arch lifts
  • Heel stretches
  • Ankle inversions
  • Ankle eversions
  • Dorsiflexion
  • Plantarflexion

What footwear modifications will help?

If you have fallen arches, we’ve got your feet covered with orthopedic shoes for any season or special occasion. Do you need sandals for the beach? We have those. Do you need running shoes for the gym? We have them. Are you planning ahead for the winter? We have boots that can get you through piles of snow.

If orthopedic shoes aren’t enough, there are orthotics for flat feet that can give you extra arch support and cushion. You can have the corrective shoe inserts customized to match your feet.

You will need a doctor’s prescription for a custom orthotic order. Once you have that, you can make an appointment at Feet First Clinic. We will need to cast your feet to get the accurate size and shape. Then we will ship the plaster mold to an orthotics fabrication lab, so you can get unique inserts for any shoe you like.

If you feel like your flat feet are bothering you, you can always make an appointment with a chiropodist to talk about it. They can help you come up with an effective treatment plan to combat the discomfort and make everyday activities like walking, running and standing for long stretches of time much easier.

Here’s to Many More Years of Foot Care!

At Feet First Clinic, we’re always excited to welcome new clients! After a successful 12 years of treating our amazing patients, we’re ready to continue offering only the best foot care services and products. Give us a call to ask our friendly staff any questions you may have! Our Toronto foot specialists are ready to help!

Call us at 416-769-3338 or Book Your Assessment Today!

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Our simple to use, online booking process makes it easy to book an appointment with a chiropodist for any of our services. No referral needed!


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Emily

Administrative Assistant

Emily is the newest addition to the Feet First family. She assists with the clinic’s accounting and finances, as well as all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the clinic running smoothly. In addition to her accounting smarts, she brings sunshine and positivity to everyone at Feet First Clinic.

Erica Halpern

Marketing and Administrative Assistant (She/Her)

Part of our administrative support staff, Erica also works behind the scenes writing and editing content for our website and blog. She loves researching and writing educational content to help patients and anyone dealing with pain. When she’s not busy in the clinic, you’ll find her at her local gym, exploring underground music, hiking with friends, or cheering on her favourite sports teams (Go Jays!). She also loves huskies!

Sophie Rudahigan

Clinic Administrator (She/Her)
Sophie prides herself on providing top-tier customer service. She is here to ensure a smooth visit for all clients. In addition to overseeing the clinic’s administration and day-to-day operations, she maintains the cosmetic appearance of the store. She is the magic behind our elaborate display case designs and also ensures the clinic is stocked with stylish (but still orthopedic!) footwear options for all ages.

Bianca Carter

CEO (She/Her)

Day in and out, Bianca works hard to ensure Feet First Clinic runs smoothly. Customer service is at the top of her list and she treats every customer like family. Bianca has a passion for fitness and is dedicated to helping people take care of their feet and body. There is no problem that she can’t solve and she believes that where there is a will, there’s a way.

Carolina Charles

Patient Relation Coordinator (She/Her)

If you’ve been to the clinic before, chances are you had the pleasure of meeting Carolina! Carolina’s daily goal is going above and beyond to make sure patients are always completely satisfied. Having worked in the podiatry industry for 22 years, Carolina brings a wealth of knowledge pertaining to client service, insurance policies, and procedures.​ She steers the ship to make sure everything runs smoothly on the daily. Carolina is known for spicing up every outfit with her signature costume jewellery.