# Are ppl born flat footed

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ppl-born-flat-footed/52830>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 2, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ppl-born-flat-footed/52830 "2001-02-02T06:20:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jukeball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@Jukeball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jukeball)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ppl-born-flat-footed/52830/1 "2001-02-02T06:20:41Z")

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or do they just develope "flat foots " cause i know ppl who claim be flat footed but frankly i hardly see differnce between my feet and theirs . How exactly do u identify a flat footer???

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**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ppl-born-flat-footed/52830/2 "2001-02-02T06:40:34Z")

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I’ve had flat feet for quite a while (at least 20 years or so, since I’ve had them in HS), and they suck.

It’s not hard to diagnose flat feet. My feet, if I’m standing barefoot, are completely and obviously flat. If I’m sitting or laying down, my feet look normal. In fact, my feet are so flat, I stand and walk on part of my ankles.

FYI, most flat-footers have insoles made that basically give their feet an arch.

Robin

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**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ppl-born-flat-footed/52830/3 "2001-02-02T07:43:08Z")

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I was born with flat feet. I have absolutely no arch to this day, and orthotics are too painful to wear. I just live each day knowing that I am 99% human, 1% whale flipper.

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ppl-born-flat-footed/52830/4 "2001-02-02T17:42:47Z")

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All about flat feet.  
[http://www.foottalk.com/faqpod.htm#W](http://www.foottalk.com/faqpod.htm#W)

> [@](#):
>
> Flat feet may be severe and apparent at birth, these may require corrective treatment with plaster casts or surgery. More commonly flat (pronated) feet develop during youth, symptoms may develop anytime, and some flat feet never become troublesome. They may run in families, but there is no certainty they will develop.

All infants’ feet are flat; as toddlers learn to walk, the arch develops.