Anatomical Anomalies Associated With Ankles (And Feet) Explained

The human body is a funny and weird thing. Some people can roll their tongues up, while others have "tied" tongues. Some people can arch all the way backward and create a perfect u-shape with their bodies, while others can barely bend in the middle at all. As for feet and ankles, dancers alone will prove all the strange things feet and ankles can do. A foot and ankle specialist has seen practically everything that these parts of the body do. It is no small surprise that some people's ankles roll, while others do not. Here are some of those odder anatomical anomalies associated with ankles. 

Why Ankles Roll 

Not everyone's ankles roll, but those who can often find it a nuisance rather than a blessing. You see, ankles that roll are much more likely to become strained, sprained, or twisted because they have hyper-flexibility. These people can bend their feet at unnatural angles at their ankles, creating scenarios that look incredibly painful. When they are doing this intentionally, it does not hurt them, but when they step in a hole in the grass or trip over a tree root, that quick snap out of the foot into a rolling ankle position and quick snap back can hurt. Some people who can roll their ankles also have weak arches, giving way to their ability to roll their feet/ankles inward as well as outward. 

Flat Foot Versus the Fashion Doll Arch

A look at most American feet reveals that there are a lot of flat arches out there. The human foot is supposed to have an arch in the middle because the arch helps rock the foot forward with each step and prevent injuries like "turf toe" and bunions. Then there are those who have such high arches that their feet look like a fashion doll's feet. The arch may be unnaturally tight because of a very tight plantar fascia, or it might be high because the Achilles tendon cannot relax. Pain is felt in the heels and balls of the feet. 

Neither are really desirable because both cause extreme pain in different parts of the foot and ankle. Both can be the source of injuries because the foot cannot naturally rock through from heel to toe. Podiatrists have to use arch supports for the flat foot and orthopedic shoes for the high, fashion doll arches. They may even recommend surgery if the tendons or fascia are too tight. 

To learn more, visit a website like http://www.elmhurstpodiatry.com.



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Never Neglect Foot Health Many people take the good health of their feet for granted until they develop foot problems. We created this blog to post foot care advice to not only help people experiencing foot problems, but also help everyone learn how to prevent foot problems, when possible. We plan to post tips on how to fight toenail fungus, how to choose shoes that offer good arch support, and much more. We hope you find the answers to all of your foot care questions on this blog, whether you are currently experiencing problems with your feet or not. If you cannot find the answer to your foot care question here, then we hope you use the resources we plan to post to find the answer to your question or locate a foot care professional who can offer you the help you need.

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