The Big Lie About Flat Feet & Custom Arch Support! (Updated)

[@pasokompin]

About 6 months after I joined the military, I started to have a lot of problems with my feet. My arches are very flat. I went to the doctor and was sent to a very old podiatrist. He told me I had 2 choices. One was to get custom orthotic supports and the other was to do a simple exercise of stand up on my toes 100 times in a row, pausing briefly at the top. So of course I got the expensive supports. A few months went by and my feet still hurt horribly. Then I remembered what the old doctor told me and started to do the exercise. It took just a couple of weeks and I've never used supports since and that was in 1988. Now even my wife exercises her feet and she's stopped having problems too.

[@danlee6712]

John Green: Thanks for the tip, I will start standing up on my toes 100 times tonight..Happy New Year! Sandy (Dan Lee's wife)

[@lindahandley5267]

@John, I'll have to give a try! How often do you do this exercise?

[@user-po4ko5ik9y]

Thankyou so much. This doesnt mean standing on tippy does does it as its impossible. Thanks heaps will try

[@cs8782]

B - not if you’re a ballerina

[@angelabay-jespersen6205]

John Greene Thank you!! I am going to try that starting today!! Thank you thank you thank you!! Maybe it sounds tedious and time consuming but if it fixes my feet, and therefore my back I’ll be ever so grateful to that ‘ol doctor of yours and you, for telling the story!!

[@ladhahalisi]

that intro track NEVER gets old

[@yt_kr__4209]

It's Soo catchy . Love it

[@spierdavid]

I sing it around the house and drive the wife nuts

[@commandercaptain4664]

Sounds like the theme to "Movie ShoooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW NAILED IT!"

[@ashleighe.4501]

We have to protect Bob and Brad at all costs

[@kennykenaz8340]

There are several suggestions you can try Try a natural remedies for plantar foot. Something as simple as ginger root, which can be found at your drug store, is a great anti-inflammatory. Ginger root is in the class of plants known as Cox inhibitors. This means they help inflammation naturally. Another natural remedy for pain is Bromelain. Bromelain is an enzyme found in pineapples. just drink the raw juice or eat raw pineapple, you can gt advantage from the properties of Bromelain. This is natural healing at its very best. (I discovered these and more ideas from fergs foot formula website )

[@GaiaNeh1013]

From what?

[@GetThePun]

@@GaiaNeh1013 Anything that would harm them

[@GaiaNeh1013]

@@GetThePun lol I'm all in! Now how do you propose we do that?

[@GetThePun]

@@GaiaNeh1013 We should all join hands and form a circle around them

[@kylesayshi]

There’s something special about you guys chemistry working together. Great work!

[@timyatcak3292]

Ducks quacking together

[@chilenosanti]

I haven't even watched the whole video but I can definitely appreciate the enthusiasm and effort into making your job fun and relatable.. you guys got yourselves another subscriber :D

[@cgrsound3446]

If Ryan is flat footed I must have flippers

[@edgy8481]

Yeah, his arches are just low. He doesn't have flat feet.

[@anika5094]

@@edgy8481 He does have flat feet haha

[@edgy8481]

Anika I can only wish to have his kind of feet because mine are flat.

[@benjaminvanwey1385]

my feet suction to linoleum

[@me7011]

@@benjaminvanwey1385 😂😂😂

[@ta_nimal2023]

I have flat feet and had knee pain. What helped me a TON was going barefoot indoors as often as possible and wearing flexible minimal shoes outdoors. Helped my plantar fascitis problems too! My feet and calves were weak. Had to build them up. Less is more. Problem solved. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@moroccanbabe7635]

Can I walk in socks?

[@hhhhh1181]

@@moroccanbabe7635 yeah because they give you no support, they just may protect you from tiny cuts

[@maxsmart9116]

Once you go flat (shoes) you never go back

[@Galaxxy101]

I'm currently on this journey too

[@pkj6426]

Me too- this is me. Anyone try VIbram 5 finger shoes?

[@kew5m]

Thanks, Bob and Brad! For me, the trick was custom arch support + the right shoes + PT. It took a while for me to get the right fit and to then break them in, but it was worth the investment to stop recurring tendinitis at 30.

[@sueeason275]

I have extremely high arches ...I walk better in shoes with arch supports , but I go barefoot at home ...The only thing that ever hurts on my feet are the Bally part just before my toes begin ....heels are a no no .for me ...Thank you for the info .

[@artdawggy]

You nailed it. I got the custom hard insoles through the NHS. So painful I couldn't walk more than 5 minutes in them. My flat feet are congenital and about as flat as you can get. I'm really glad you didn't suggest the exercises. They don't work for congenital issues.

[@ServantofGod07]

So what insoles do you use

[@Maxaldojo]

I think the most important message is when trying shoes or support, it should feel good IMMEDIATELY! Thanks, guys!

[@MrRunner42]

I have been running since I was a kid, now 70 odd yrs later, no problems with the feet. This, after I was told , I was flat footed. I feel if you go bare foot, a lot of the time, as nature intended, you develop strong feet. This can be for life

[@njay6494]

Oh my goodness...please PLEASE tell me anything more about how your feet aren't hurting 70 years later...🙏

[@MrRunner42]

@@njay6494 exercise your feet by squeezing toes towards the heel. Put a small towel on the floor and move it under your feet by squeezing your toes. Massage the underneath of your feet using a tennis ball. Go barefoot at home , a lot of the time. Hope these help.

[@akdlg9sjjslk8]

I don’t understand. I’m completely flat footed, fallen arches and everything. I walk barefoot at home too. And I’m in pain

[@nagachandana6911]

Me too! I walk barefoot at home all the time. @MrRunner42 - could you please help on how we can run or walk for so long and have no pain the feet. I have flat foot and bunion on both the feet. Thanks you!

[@jrdatz]

Had flat feet all my life. Never have pains until I put an orthotic that supposed to "fix" my flat feet or wear a shoe that has even a minimal arch (my tennis shoes for example). The pains I experience are the SAME EXACT pains I would feel as if someone who had arches and have fallen. Orthotics do not work for me at all

[@DavidSiegelVision]

Those of us who have truly flat feet know that Ryan does NOT have flat feet. He has low arches. There are people like me who run often and want zero arch support. We want a completely flat, unstructured, cushion shoe that has nothing on the inside. I have a box of orthotics I threw out years ago. I have cut, drilled, scored, and modified all my shoes. I can run ten miles in a shoe with zero arch support and prefer to. You might mention that some of us do better with no support at all, and yet no manufacturer makes a shoe for us. The Altra Escalante is close out of the box but still needs the midsole trimmed down a bit to go perfectly flat.

[@ΒαγγέληςΝτουφεξιάδης]

my doctor told me the same thing when i was a child i just have low arches. Do they call this flexible flat feet as well ?

[@DavidSiegelVision]

@@ΒαγγέληςΝτουφεξιάδης It doesn't matter what the name is. Find the solution that's best for you. For me, it's ZERO arch support. I honestly think "arch support" is just a meme someone made up 100 years ago and people like Bob and Brad keep repeating it. I don't know if anyone benefits from arch support. I don't think any professional athletes care about arch support, but I'd be interested to learn if they did.

[@Mario-qr6oe]

@@DavidSiegelVision for standing I need arch support because my feet are so flat my knees turn inward which make me look funny and causes a lot of back pain. That said at gym clam I had to change into skater shoes (totally flat hard insoles) to run or I would get a lot of pain from the front of my tibia.

[@DavidSiegelVision]

@@Mario-qr6oe My feet are completely flat. My footprints look like rectangles. But I don't have the knees and back situation you have. I don't think flat feet CAUSE knock knees, I think the two conditions are independent. So whatever works for you may not work for others who simply have extremely flat feet. Do whatever is best for you!

[@redefv]

I used to find comfort in Sanuk flip flops but they started building them with arches and they hurt too now. Some shoe company should cater to us.

[@niabeans85]

I'm recovering from bone fusion surgery in my ankle at the mo as a result of my flat feet! I had 6 years of excruciating pain, the steroid injections were no longer helping so I opted for surgery. I'm at the end of my recovery now, 2 weeks left in my moon boot. Thank you for sharing this 👌

[@JeannieBeanie]

I went through this last year. It's a process. Hang in there. After I healed my pain was really reduced. It took alot longer to heal than I thought it would but I feel it was worth it.

[@breannafoster6874]

How are your feet today?

[@malomapusua3048]

I’ve had sunken arches as far back as I can remember and found that a mixture of stretches and massage gives a lot of relief but the key is consistency. A lot of stretches that incorporate that ballerina foot pose where you exaggerate your arch and point your toes down like the yoga pose where you sit on your ankles is a must and massage on both the top and bottom. I use a roller pin for my foot while exaggerating the arch it hurts like hell when starting when I first done it literally was painful every time I did it for months till one day it didn’t. Also exercises where you are on the tips of your toes like calf raises helps strengthen them I’ve done this for years and found those were the best I still have flat feet but it just doesn’t cramp up or bother me as much anymore my job requires me to be on my feet all day with safety boots could and I play and train semi pro soccer 4 days a week so imagine I have to do this daily or I start having pain in my arches

[@dancooper6447]

Bob and Brad - National treasures and providers of sage advice.

[@kitchenboy69]

So who else says, "let me see what Bob and Brad have to say about that."? I won't even do workouts without checking that they don't break B&B's rules.

[@preciousmousse]

My feet hurt so bad that they made me sad, but when the intro began Bob and Brad made me happy once again.

[@souna889]

I had to quit my warehouse job at Amazon because the pain from my flat feet after constantly lifting boxes all day was WAY too much. It built up a whole lot. Everything hurt from my feet to my neck. I even have custom orthotics. They helped, but they aren't meant for 10 hours of standing on reinforced concrete.

[@realahtork461]

Take glosbe and stand on it. Move your feet circle and u can feel better=l

[@Crispr00]

Real ahtork have you tried exercises to help rebuild the arch?

[@realahtork461]

@@Crispr00 I use tennis ball and stand on the ball forward & backward. I go massage avery 2 week. And use better shoes

[@Crispr00]

Real ahtork I also suffer with this problem and I’ve been doing exercises to strengthen my lower muscles and build an arch so far it seems to work. My doctor suggested shoes for this and inserts but I don’t want to rely on them and would rather have the arch built

[@DeL-sm8bl]

For years I had back pain, pain in my left knee and headaches. Like headaches where I wanted to use a tool to jab it into my head to release pressure. Wasn't till I heard it could be related to feet. I had feet pain but always thought it was related to standing long time. Got custom hard orthotics from a podiatrist and all the pain went away. Took a week or so to get used to but change my life.

[@santiagop.levrino1756]

Hi . I been trying to correct my back pain and now i'm starting to think could be caused by my flat feet did you have lower or upper back pain before the orthotics ?

[@DeL-sm8bl]

@@santiagop.levrino1756 lower back pain. It was brutal. All the pain is gone now. It's crazy to think it was related to feet all that time. I would get massages, take pain meds , wear back brace, not know what was going on. I even thought it was related to my bed, but nope it wasn't. All due to my flat feet.

[@santiagop.levrino1756]

@@DeL-sm8bl wow. Cause i have upper back pain and i wonder if it's because of the same

[@DeL-sm8bl]

@@santiagop.levrino1756 Hopefully you can find a solution. It really is terrible having back pain. All the best!

[@ogs.i.c.k6263]

I was sold on the theme song😁 "bOb AnD bRaAaAd"

[@WarpFactor999]

I've used the Pinnacle Plus Powerstep full length orthotics and they have helped my horribly fallen arches more than any exercise or custom made inserts. Cheap. Last about 6 -8 months.

[@wildindia8667]

Pls share me the link I am having a fallen arch ols

[@AntwonDaBusiness]

I got custom arches when I was younger. I did everything in them and even wore them for my basketball practice and games. It caused me pain for a few months but no where near the pain I experienced before them. Eventually after about 6 months I was able to not wear them and I’ve never experienced planter fasciitis pain like that again. The arch support helps prevent the stretching of muscles and prevents planter fasciitis. I have seen some excellent off the shelf inserts so don’t go custom in today’s market. Tread labs makes a good product

[@kyrauniversal]

Okay. Thanks for letting me know your story, man. I had a similar experience. Apparently it's genetic in my family, because my mom had both of her arches Rip and Fall, on the same day, while she was 17, at the beach. I think she has been really overwhelmed and overprotective of me because of it. I don't blame her, but I also am tired of the limited amount of Shoe brands I can use.

[@parael8352]

Any arch support hurts my feet. I don't have flat feet, nor high arches, but wear flat & wide shoes. I usually get a men's shoe (which can be hard to find a size 7.5) because they tend to fit better. For years the skater style was the only shoe that was comfortable. Work boots are also tough to find. So many factors impact the fit & availability.

[@samjam6989]

I wear size 7 and sometimes size 6. very hard to find men shoes in those sizes as I have small feet.

[@messybutmeaningful]

That's a tiny foot mate!

[@cboy5oc]

You can also tell flat feet if you come out of the water at a swimming pool and your tfootprints look like duck feet. If you have good arches, the prints go way in where the arches are. When I was a kid, the shoe salesman told my mother I had flat feet and the way to fix them was to take ballet. That worked, but now 60 years later I need shoes with arch supports (which none seem to have). You are right! I can feel the difference immediately.

[@cindyharrington5958]

I love the support I get from Vionic shoes. I use their arch supports in my other shoes. They are really comfortable to me.

[@helengarrett6378]

Sadly they don't make narrow shoes. No help there! I have an A with in the vamp and a AAAA heel. Double last shoes are a bygone thing!

[@garycortesi8406]

I’m 67 and when I was very young a doctor recommended that he break the bones in my feet and reset them so I wouldn’t be flat footed. My parents said no. I wore arch supports for a while and stopped for a long time. Then about thirty years ago I started again. I stopped again a few year ago because my chiropractor recommended. Haven’t had a problem while working out.

[@Resist4]

If you have flat feet, why would any chiropractor recommend not wearing arch supports?

[@Crispr00]

Dan that’s not the first thing one should do

[@Theresa-Lottodo]

My foot doctor: "Have been using the (super expensive, super painful, medieval-style-torture-instrument-inspired) custom arch supports?" Me: (Fingers crossed behind my back - knowing that I'm lying.) "Yes, of course." My foot doctor: (Proudly observing my feet.) "Yes, I can see that you do." Me: "Thinking.) "Waste of time & money and I knew it."

[@ahmad000almahdi]

« إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا » 🥰

[@MatthewLum]

Bob and Brad forgot to mention you may not need support at all(!) If you have flexible flat foot, wherein the feet are capable of forming an arch but don’t hold one well, most of the time you can correct the issue by building up the appropriate foot muscles and probably learning new movement patterns. Stiff soles, arch support, and narrow toe boxes in modern footwear tends to lead to inactive, atrophied foot muscles which then often leads to collapsed arches-and is also one possible cause of plantar fasciitis. Making a (gradual!) transition to ‘minimal’ footwear can and often does help in restoring muscular foot health but is often not a complete solution by itself. In no other area of physical therapy is permanent external bracing the primary, go-to solution.

[@fallblossom5]

My ankles bones crush into one another and I can feel the pressure. I have flexible feet and flexible flat foot. Not sure I will have to brace my ankles. My arches collapse into the edges of the soles of my shoes and causes discomfort. Not sure if there is a solution. It's getting worse.

[@patriciabaylor4573]

Custom orthotics in NJ cost $1,200. What a ripoff!

[@BlackMist123]

And it's not even necessary due to lack of supporting evidence.

[@valentinsimeonov]

I've been flat feet since kid. Doctors used to tell me and my parents that by age of 20 I'll not be able to walk unless they buy custom arch support and custom shoes. Well, you could as well use crutches or wheelchair ... it will feel more easy on the feet and knees. That's what archsuport is... crutches. You don't need them at all, all you need is muscles and skills. I use only barefoot shoes for years and have never been happier with my feet.

[@Rocksteddy0]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I will put in the work and transition to barefoot shoes too.

[@pkj6426]

Hi. I’m in this same position. What are barefoot shoes? Do you use the VIbram 5 finger shoes?

[@valentinsimeonov]

@@pkj6426I use mostly Vivobarefoot. I haven’t tried Vibram five fingers because they need special socks which are very expensive.

[@walterthecursebreaker711]

I really appreciate how practical and how real you all are. I agree with you that if something is going to help my feet I'm going to feel the relief immediately. I'm not going to have to wait and see and adjust to it over time. They are paying games when it comes to flat fee I don't understand why that is.

[@mfreed40k]

I wasted more time and money on physical therapy than the co-payment for one set of custom orthotics, by probably an order of magnitude. Months of PT using every modality they could dig up, one pair of orthotics (done at PT) and boom, no problem.

[@smilesmile7330]

Happy Birthday Ryan! 🎂🎉🎁

[@maggiefielder2118]

Happy birthday Ryan! My son’s birthday is today, he’s 20! Love your videos

[@mariannchampion3366]

My mom had flat feet, lived until hundred yrs, I have the same feet, and my grandson age ten yr has same flat feet, runs in the family 😘🇨🇦

[@pankajpolara112]

Me too also

[@magdalenazivkovic4173]

you two are so wholesome, thank you

[@helengarrett6378]

Arch supports just cause blisters on the soles of my feet. It's hereditary for at least 4 generations. Knees and hips turn in. Prescriptions in orthopedic shoes from two years old to 10 years never helped! In old age I have a bunion as a result. The problem, of course is ankle pronation. If I rotate my ankle I get an arch, my knee straightens out. and my big toe is flexible, but nobody can fix that pronation, even with rigid or semi rigid arch supports. I've tried them all. But I can't walk with the ankle rotated properly. The truth is there is no help for people like me and my family. We just have to find whatever we can wear and deal with flat feet and shoes made for people with arches.

[@cliffhogan9723]

Born this way , never a problem

[@LS-vr7un]

cliff hogan same here I’m 14 and my legs never hurt before but now for a couple of weeks they stated to hurt really much and I even have troubles jogging, the worst part is that I have a soccer tournament and I still can’t run which is horrible

[@cliffhogan9723]

L S I wouldn’t blame the flat arch, I ran and jogged all my life, look at changing shoes or strengthening the entire body with weight training

[@jayj6855]

Wait until y’all older lmao

[@shao-yuwang1440]

@@cliffhogan9723 You do know that different people have different arches right? Just because it doesn't affect you doesn't mean it applies to everyone.

[@Love-gb2jk]

Oh just wait

[@dogsplantscarsneatstuff176]

I got some over the counter arches for my flat feet that one podiatrist recommended . He told me he charged 3x what the amazon price was. Thanks for talking about over the counter vs custom made: the custom made is such a racket.

[@joandsarah77]

Not if you need them it isn't. The items shown here would do nothing for me. I have non-weight bearing flat feet and rotated legs. At 15 they didn't bother me, by 30 they did and now at 50 I have to wear custom made orthotics from the podiatrist and high-quality sneakers with a straight last. Together they cost a packet but without them, I can't walk far.

[@dogsplantscarsneatstuff176]

@@joandsarah77 I am glad it worked for you.

[@vanessamarietorres7245]

I have flat feet that look like they were passed on genetically from both my parents. I run on average 12 miles a week. I have no problems. And my parents have never had problems. Is there such a thing that some flat feet are normal and fine? When I wear shoes with any arch support I end up cramping in pain and can't walk more than a couple blocks in them.

[@gamestats2372]

I have severe flat feet and I get a lot of pain in my heels and calves. Yes, most people have asympomatic flat feet, but some people do have problems with their flat feet. Supposedly this happens if they have a short achilles tendon, and mine do appear to be short and tight.

[@BB.halo_heir]

I've used my custom supports for years now and they still work for me, same pair. Unless a pair wasn't made correctly, I can't see why they wouldn't work.

[@deerinheadlights9784]

I was just using a lacrosse ball to roll over the arch of my foot. Do you recommend that at all? Just started watching the video. Thanks for your content.

[@thaisoneon]

Deer in Headlights I don’t know if B&B do, but Katy Bowman does! Check out her list of books on foot health for simple exercises and strategies to regain foot health. I found them at my library so it cost nothing to learn some accessible strategies to help my aching feet.

[@patrickdavid7025]

Lacrosse balls can be used as a powerful massage device that can help relieve pain and improve function in sore muscles. “Lacrosse ball massage is a form of self-myofascial release. Fascia, the thin sheath of connective tissue that covers all the muscles and organs of the body, is responsible for connecting muscle groups.” From an article from Healthline. Their words are much better than me trying to whip out a response.

[@Crispr00]

Patrick David that definitely helps but also incorporate exercises to help rebuild the arch. That’s what I’m doing right now and it seems to be working

[@redshadow8979]

I have a curious point I personally have some low arches, which don't affect me usually, but when I searched for information, I noticed that many people would suggest that we wear shoes with arch support (that is, shoes with protrusions on the arch of the insole), saying It can help balance the force on the soles of the feet and relieve fatigue on the soles of the feet. At the same time, I also found that some people think that we should try to avoid shoes with arch support, because arch support will replace or reduce the force of our original muscles, causing muscle degeneration or even atrophy. What I'm curious about is: 1. Which of the above statements is more correct or has more correct parts? 2. If don’t consider the problems of flat feet or high arches that affect your life, for people with normal arches or people with low arches like me but the problem is not serious, should try to choose shoes with arch support or Shoes without arch support? Hope to know your opinion

[@ropeysubstance1719]

did you ever find an answer to this?

[@redshadow8979]

@@ropeysubstance1719 Most of them said I should try shoes without arch support for training , but if it is too pain and the arch still flat , maybe can try the arch support shoe still a little bit confusing lol

[@ropeysubstance1719]

@@redshadow8979 yeah it's so hard to pinpoint the issue. I have flat feet and i overpronate but i don't know whether to get supportive shoes like the asics gt 2000 that prevent you from overpronating, or get minimalist shoes and go barefoot to build up my foot strength. so confusing

[@pkj6426]

I’m with you guys!!! This is my predicament- 😢my knees are now bothersome b/c my feet are so weak. I was told by one person to Buy VIbram 5 finger shoes- and by another to strengthen my feet & by another to get knee surgery.

[@caroline12569]

I had custom orthotics made at an orthopedic surgeons office…the Birkenstock with the metatarsal lift work and feel SO much better.

[@gracieosornio9291]

this is why i love brad and bob (the most famous physical therapists) because they tell the truth even when it hurts, in this case my custom cork sandals. lol

[@indirakillen2065]

Exactly, a doctor here in Windsor Ontario made me buy 4 different custom arches, I spent a lot of money and I went back to tell him that my son's feet were getting worse and he said oh he needs another kind $400 per foot. I'm so mad, some doctors don't care about children but about their own pockets.

[@gamestats2372]

I've had severe flat feet for 14 years and no orthotics has worked for me. They just hurt my heels because they are constructed with hard material. I have several that were in the 400 price range. The next step up are braces.

[@amarmot3635]

Samurai insoles work well for my flexible arches. I walk at least 6 miles per day. About $40.00 per pair on Amazon.

[@ed_boogie]

I use it for my Regular shoes and snowboard boots

[@SourStrawberrys]

Might as well just get the insoles they sale near the pharmacy at Walmart. They are about $40-50 as well. But you get on their foot machine and it tells you which one is best for your foot issue.

[@richard9272]

​@@SourStrawberrys really? Even though they're made of plastic?

[@SourStrawberrys]

@@richard9272 Dr. Scholl's Custom insoles aren't made of plastic. If they were made of plastic it would be like walking on concrete. Let uses a little bit of common sense here. 🙄

[@CWBush73]

I have posterior tibialis tendonitis and was referred to a special store that sold motion control shoes and expensive orthotics. The orthotics are worn down and are flat now. I was reading that orthotics act as a crutch and do not allow your feet to get stronger. I try to walk barefoot, stand on one foot for balance and walk on my toes. It has slowly gotten better.

[@kylethebos]

Do you still have posterior tibial tendonitis? My left foot has a little bit of it and I wear orthotics, wondering what the solution could be to help. Thanks

[@DarthMaul747400]

Excellent update...thank you! Would love a video on bunion pain relief.

[@careyolson3446]

As an avid hiker, thank you for this video. It was very "meat and potatoes" stuff. For me, I need more cushion than support. Thanks again...

[@witheredmedia]

New Balance brand arch supports are the best. They are super stiff, and it feels really good against my flat feet. Apparently my flat feet contributed to the development of my knee tendonitis. I wish I had known about these arch support inserts years ago!

[@bakgammon]

good insight!

[@witheredmedia]

@@bakgammon Thanks! Oh and as of October 2021 i have switched from New Balance arch support insoles to Copperfit Balance arch supports. I am no longer satisfied with New Balance, they changed their arch supports shape after the got bought out by Superfeet recently, and now they the arch support "bump" is too far back towards the heel. Copperfit is the best now!

[@BroccoliRocks]

When I was 14 I started jogging. I had horrible knee pain and blisters on my arches. A podiatrist diagnosed me as having flat feet and recommended custom arch supports. My father was angry as they were extremely expensive, $600 in the early 80s. I've had them for over 30 years and they kept the arch related knee problems away. What Bob and Brad are saying is not right for everyone.

[@lenygrunis2187]

They said that it is not the best way to fix it. They said that it can help some people at the start. So what they are saying is still right for everyone, as they addressed both sides.

[@BroccoliRocks]

@@lenygrunis2187 I've been using the inserts I got as a teenager for over 30 years and I have never had a recurrence of the problem.

[@lenygrunis2187]

@@BroccoliRocks did you listen to the start at all? Did you read any of the countless comments here? Your experiences don't equal everyone's experiences

[@BroccoliRocks]

@@lenygrunis2187 Neither do yours and B&B aren't omniscient. In this case I think they are wrong.

[@lenygrunis2187]

@@BroccoliRocks I'm sorry, are you trying to tell us that our experiences aren't valid because they aren't yours? At the start of the video they said if you want to get insoles get ones from a regular store, and if they help then get customs, but to not get customs first. The rest of the video is about if they don't help. Because for many people, they don't actually do anything

[@marksammons2208]

You 2 are crazy. Been watching for years.

[@skygazer6898]

I have fallen arches and the pain can actually keep me awake at night. The doctor gave me some exercises to do but in the end, I had to have painkillers. I love walking but these damn arches have killed the pleasure for me. I have tried all these supports and the one I did buy does help a bit. I went back to doing the exercises religiously and i have to say they have helped greatly. Thanks for the video much appreciated

[@LightUpNancy]

“It was funny at the time.” “Alright it’s not funny now thanks for watching.” Haha love you guys.

[@poweredbywfpbno7647]

I have extremely flat feet and have purchased both custom and off-the-shelf orthotics. When I don't wear them I get a sharp pain in the middle of the balls of my feet. I have found that the Superfeet Green Insoles work well for me. Can't live without them.

[@hereagain8344]

GO BAREFOOT! Buy barefoot shoes, correct toes and socks. Wide toe box thus not losing the big toes alignment. We should put all our weight through the big toe as we push off. No heel, heels were added to hold horse stirrups. Heels cause anterior pelvic tilt. We were not born with our feet bound up.

[@valwilliams3834]

Bare foot doesn’t really help. Growing up i only ever wore shoes when i went to school, all other times up until i was 22 i was barefoot. I still had bad flat feet, and problems with my knees and hips because of this. This only improved after i started investing in good quality shoes with support.

[@zobothehobo]

@@valwilliams3834 I have been living a barefoot life for almost 10 years.. I was barefoot as a child a lot too... My feet are flat with no weight and have been since I was a child. My mother's feet are flat, her mother's are flat, and her mother's were bound because they were developing wide and flat. For me, any shoes feel like they're forcing my feet into positions not natural or comfortable. Shoes with arch supports are pushing on my arch in uncomfortable ways and shoes without are holding my foot in flat positions when I walk or use my toes. I have noticed a HUGE difference in my feet barefoot vs not. In fact, when I have to wear shoes more, i notice my feet are always painful and swollen vs when I take them off and it's not that bad. Even standing for work is better without shoes than with. So I guess.... Speak for yourself.

[@barpoe1]

I’ve had flat feet all my life and it’s never given me any issues. Also, I may be on the autism spectrum, and low muscle tone seems to be common with ASD and flat feet are a common symptom. Children with autism sometimes walk around on their tippy toes, could this be a self correcting way to build muscle strength and higher arches? I read a comment on here from someone who was suggested to do this exercise as an alternative treatment. We are quick to discourage and discredit unusual behaviour in this society, but perhaps we are sometimes too quick to demand conformity in our society. Just some thoughts. Btw, I love the Abraham Hicks quote at the start of the video!

[@imrickjames7012]

You don’t have to worry about the arches, try vibram five fingers or similar minimalist shoes so you can become a beast!

[@mbostrom]

I think you might be on to somerhing. I just recently saw a video on plantar fascitis that advocated something like that. I think itwas influenced by the forefoot running technique. And yes, a bit of diversity in personality and behaviour ceetainly has advantages. I work in a place where a lot of people would fall in diagnosable personality groups, and i personally find it preferable to a "normie" surrounding.

[@andreaireland7848]

is is interesting. My son is on the spectrum and has fallen arches on both feet. He was never a toe or heel walker but did have a unique gait and a "hip hike". He was disgnosed with low muscle tone as an infant. He says they don't hurt at all but he is only 10.

[@Zaheraboukhashbeh1991]

I've had flat feet since ever, and still do. they gave me problems, back pain, knee pain. I even had to do surgeries in my knees because I had radial tear in medial meniscus in both knees. and as they pointed, it does rotate the knee to have flat fleet, I notice it whenever I lift my toes, the bone besides the kneecap on the outer side turn to the inside. I have tried custom built arches for years, other than the pain they cause, it was nothing beneficial. However, I am the only one in my family and the people I know who go up the stairs on my toes only, instead of putting all of my foot on the steps. I can't wear formal shoes, not any type of shoes that has a space under the arch. But going the stairs on my toes and running on the outer edge of my feet do really release my pain and I enjoy running up the stairs and the shores like that I'm thankful that no one tried to normalize my stare walking

[@njay6494]

@@Zaheraboukhashbeh1991 Have you ever tried some exercises?

[@lindalamb7512]

Love my custom arches from podiatrist. Saved me!!!

[@jewelleryaddict]

The squishy one makes my knee and hip rotate more. They make nice half leather ones that bend a little but don't not go flat. They last forever. Amazon price not bad.

[@Resist4]

Over the counter Superfeet arch supports work great for me.

[@jonnynerot6711]

I'm not a flat-footer though I like it the best when I'm walking on a floor without anything on my feet...a flat, hard surface under my feet, that's the stuff.

[@hereforit2347]

I have always had naturally flat feet, as do many athletes and people of African descent. If I step in water, my footprints look like Sasquatch’s. There is no dry portion between the ball and the heel where an arch would be. Arch supports hurt like the dickens. So do shoes with a built-in arch like Dr. Scholl’s wooden sandals, Earth shoes, and Birkenstocks. 😣 “Ryan”, in this video, has a high arch compared to mine. A high arch does not mean fewer foot problems. Flatter feet do not predicate foot problems. Arch height often varies according to race. Many people of European descent have very high arches. Many non-whites do not. And for anyone who wants to argue with me that ‘we’re all the same’, no, we are not. Ask a forensic scientist. They can determine a person’s race by their skeleton. 👣

[@nativeoutdoors1780]

So what was your solution? I mean I'm white as heck lmao but have flat feet, my shoes wear out on the inside heel so my feet fall even more pronated position, and I'm currently restarting my exercises and hopefully they worl

[@hereforit2347]

@@nativeoutdoors1780: I don’t have one. My shoes wear out normally and I don’t have foot pain. I don’t have “fallen arches” just naturally flat feet. They don’t cause problems for me.

[@nativeoutdoors1780]

@@hereforit2347 dang lucky duck haha

[@curiouscanuck]

Bob and Brad, do you have an opinion on rebounders/mini trampolines? They claim to have many health benefits.

[@aprilc.3697]

For someone who has plantar fasciitis, and has practically no arches, would you recommend wearing an orthotic either from a podiatrist or shoes with built-in arch support? I just had to return some boots since they had no arch support and the heel wasn’t really cushioned. Seems most shoes aren’t made for comfort or if they are, they are ugly!

[@hereagain8344]

Look up Vivo Barefoot shoes.

[@KLewis-ih7xm]

Calf stretches help and I find inserts work for me. But definitely do calf stretches daily, twice at least if you can.

[@Dt-zn2lx]

I wear vionic shoes and brooks sneakers. They both help. I also went to physical therapy to help get rid of the planter fasciitis

[@Resist4]

Just buy some Superfeet supports to put in your shoes.

[@eogg25]

My foot Doc made me one with elastic bandage tape and a pad, it works as good and no extra charge. My 300 hundred dollar ones I got from another doc hurt my foot. and my insurance would not pay for it.

[@ChemistyStudent]

I've made my own most of my life. Find an off the shelf insert with a rigid support that mostly fits your arch. Build up that support with double stick exterior mounting tape, untill it fits your Arch, and walk on it for a couple days. The foam compresses to like 50% of the starting volume, repeat till it fits perfectly. Wrap insert in layer of athletic cloth tape, and it won't squeak. Clean by spreading Lysol on it. I like the 'sof sol' high arch inserts.

[@powerhouse1981]

Read on for true fixing of the feet. Arch support is a mini crutch, never use them. True fixing of ones foundation : One must strengthen the feet by first strengthening the toes and midfoot in their full range of motion in all directions and extending the heel (calcaneus). This is all linked up and into the glutes, so one cannot truly fix it without addressing the glute medius and surrounding areas. Best way to do all this is yoga. Standing split, or airplane pose, then turning the body to each side while standing on one leg, then going up on toes. Also walk and train barefoot as much as humanly possible. Push the limits. Hot and cold treatment as well, + tens machine all over foot. You will fix your feet and be able to reach athletic potential and build full, massive arches. Your effort has to match that of a body builder. You are growing new feet through growing and retensioning ligaments, capillaries and muscles. Wearing tight shoes makes the nerves turn off in the foot, toes specifically, and the toes go weird directions, muscles atrophy, you get injury and you get flat feet. I solved the knowledge side for you, now put in that effort and live your dreams.

[@roobookaroo]

You solved nothing. I see no clear program of action. The "live your dreams" admonition is pure BS.

[@powerhouse1981]

@@roobookaroo you're a blind bitch stfu and re-read.

[@Resist4]

A fallen arch will never turn into a normal arch do to stretching. And people don't all of a sudden get a fallen arch, they born with them.

[@powerhouse1981]

​@@Resist4 Incorrect on all levels. fallen arches are imbalances in foot muscles, typically resulting from paralyzed nerves in the foot due to constricted, weak toes and raised heels which modern shoes have a plenty. This set's off chain reactions of injuries and physiological habits which result in fallen arches. with enough work you can build up all the muscles, re-tensioning the ligaments and pulling the foot and all it's pieces into an upgright, arched, flexible and spring loaded structure. Like I said, this requires this action going all the way into the calf, where many foot muscles are connected, upwards and upwards into the hips and truly the entire body. I have done it myself, It has taken nearly a decade, but I was on the extreme end of flat footedness and was focussing on skills like dance and martial arts tricking rather then pure rehabilitation, I had necrosis of the bone in my right foot from bones grinding together. I know what I'm talking about, I have lived it and done it. I used to walk on my damn near ANKLES. Full pronation. EXTREME PAIN. I couldn't even stand without pain, I had to wear big ass shoes because my feet were so deformed and pancake flat. Both my feet now have a large, visible arch I can put a finger under. I have healed my feet. I am building them to athletic standards now and pushing the arches to my perfect extreme. I EARNED MY NEW FEET through countless hours of hard work and pain, stretches, workout bands- pronating and supinating, toe raises, yoga standing split, working on splits in general, massages, tens machines to stimulate blood flow and rehab, just general HARD A F EFFORT. they used to measure size 12 on the size measure at shoe stores, now they are 10.5 standing relaxed. That shortening is due to a massive raise in the arches, that I built and can see with my own eyes. Shut up and go fix your feet, and if you don't have fallen arches, don't dare and get in anyone's way who seeks to fix theirs with your pessimistic attitude and lack of knowledge. My foot issues started in childhood, and got worse and worse until after Highschool when I began to address them because of that necrosis issue, I now have larger arches then I've ever had in my human existance. I bounce, dance, fight, do flips, spins and kicks, often together. Yea if you're 300lbs and not doing shit, your feet won't heal, yea if you don't go through massive pain and bodybuilding level grind and effort, the muscles won't pump and grow and toes stay weak. If you don't learn how the structure works and don't stretch, the body can't reconfigure. It's just who you are. One can do it, I have done it. I will continue to win and share this knowledge and save the human race the immesurable pain and suffering I had to endure. If I didn't have this issue I would be a professional in multiple sports and disciplines. Though NOTHING works on a broken foundation, atleast not for long and not to its true potential.

[@Resist4]

PowerHouse you are the one that is so wrong! OMG, you don’t even understand how the human body works. Stop spreading hippy ideology! Fallen arches can’t be made to be normal again. Bone can’t miraculously go from flat to a full arch.

[@MistahStompy]

I am glad to hear someone say they should feel good immediately. I always heard that it was normal for the insoles to cause pain for a few weeks as it's building up the muscles. I always thought that hoarse shit. I mean exercising your muscles shouldn't cause sharp pain, no?

[@Chrissy85308]

I hope Ryan had good birthday! I have flat feet but my oldest son has extreme flat feet. At 15 he had surgery at Shriners Hospital to break his tibia, rotate it straight and move his knee cap. He had one leg then the other 4 months later. They said he needed his femurs done but aged out before he could. They got him in custom orthotics that worked great, but when he out grew them the person that made the new ones didn't do a good job. They hurt his feet really bad. They wouldn't fix them and now he just hurts bad all the time. I am going to share this video with him. Thank you for the info!

[@melonydever]

I had the same surgery at Shriners when I was a kid.

[@henrywashington3732]

These guys are a good reason I don't go to the doctor. The insole is only as good as the shoe it's going in. People with flat feet like myself need a rigid durable shoe. Shoes with soft cushion throws my back out.

[@angiedixon8017]

I’ve had 100% success with custom orthotics. Every 5 yrs I change them. I’ve been 50lbs overweight. Until now. Now I have a big bump growing on my fascia and things are getting complicated. Bad ongoing pain, from below big toe, going to the lump on fascia .

[@BigBird_714]

was that bump due to custom orthotics? ive had mine for a year but been hearing not to due to later complications any info helps thank you

[@angiedixon8017]

Gabriel Sagrero I could not live without my orthotics! I wear them every time I stand up. They eliminated my Plantar fasciitis pain (for the most part). I do have long periods of inactivity followed by whole days of errands, and that’s why I think the bump came. Even if the orthotics caused the bump, I would not trade them for the world. I used to go to therapy for my calf, Achilles, and plantar fasciitis pain. They would take a metal piece that looked like a shoe horn and pull and press it, extremely hard, from my heel to the ball. I screamed bloody murder! The objective was to remove the bumps from the tendon. The therapist said they were scar tissue. In the last few years, the bumps have re-accumulated. I asked a new therapist recently what to do. His answer was, orthotics. Another problem I have is wide feet. The only shoes I can find have little built in support. There is no cushion, but this is the least painful way for me. If you can find cushiony shoes that fit your orthotics, you should be good to go. I’ve been using orthotics for 8 yrs I’ve told my husband, if there’s ever an emergency, I need three things, my glasses, my night guard and my orthotics. I hope this helps. I have been rolling my foot on a ball and bottle of ice. Also, I use an exercise stick to rub my hips, thighs, and calves. It seems to be helping. I have small bumps on the plantar fascia, but the bigger painful one is getting better.

[@marg233]

Happy belated Birthday Ryan 🎈3yrs late 😂 B&B tho i missed ur discount still i purchased foot stretcher Thanx again u Docs make it fun 🤗

[@umno806]

I have custom arch supports and they hurt my feet even more than when I’m walking without them. Wouldn’t recommend.

[@nikolasgarza4969]

Yes. Agreed.

[@inkajoo]

You need to go to the podiatrist and tell them what's going on and they can adjust them.

[@stahaz1]

At the end... "It's not funny now" 🤣🤣. Great video.

[@msmarymac9230]

I had two sets of bulky custom orthotics that did nothing then I got the expensive over the counter arch supports and my plantar fasciitis went away within a very short time. Just as you said, it's a guess and what works for one doesn't always work for someone else. Same with shoes, some people love New Balance but they don't work for me at all. I wear Brooks (running shoes) for walking and they've been the best.

[@amazingsupergirl7125]

Motion Control sneakers are amazing. I found the perfect New Balance one and replace the insoles with arch support and cushion. The original insoles of any shoes need to be replaced. They’re always just a flat basic thin cushion. Since then I’ve bought four pairs of the same shoes and other than my house slippers they are the only shoes I own now. Unfortunately, they stopped making the NB insole I loved so I’m searching for something similar. I actually did have to slowly work up to these shoes with high arches and it worked great for me. If you have back pain or any joint problems, I HIGHLY recommend new balance motion control sneakers but shop around and find the insole right for you❤️🤟🏻

[@sl2608]

WHICH New Balance shoes are you wearing? Model name or number please? (Ex. 1540? 928v3?) New Balance makes numerous variations of motion control shoes. Thanks.

[@alister101]

I wish i can sit down with these two because they seem they might actually listen to me.

[@oldman_eleven]

Pretty disappointing to see you two recommending "support" when exercise is the key to fixing flat feet Edit: The gentleman have updated their recommendations. Fantastic work!

[@BobandBrad]

We now have videos supporting that idea after reading a couple of very good books. Thank you Brad

[@oldman_eleven]

@@BobandBrad i did come across that in later searches. Appreciate the update. Thanks guys!

[@HowDeeDo]

Happy Birthday, Ryan!! 😂 great video, you guys are so helpful it's ridiculous. Thank you!!

[@dylnfstr]

I had found some plantar fasciitis insoles that were very rigid and they really helped! Over time they conformed to my foot and lost the cushion that was on top of the rigid structure and got uncomfortable

[@amazingsupergirl7125]

That’s the problem with insoles. They don’t last very long. It would be great to replace them every six months but I definitely don’t do that

[@dylnfstr]

@@amazingsupergirl7125 I went to replace them but they don’t make them anymore

[@helenhighwater5313]

My $20 Walkfits have done the trick for me the past 15yrs, including resolving an early case of plantar fasciitis.

[@kylehampton7693]

forget it just practice walking and running properly barefoot. Actually USE your foot muscles. become more in tune with how you're making impact with the ground. tread lightly.

[@Paul9]

Arches and feet in general need strengthening not a crutch in the form of support. Our feet have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years and most of the modern foot issue are due to muscle atrophy caused by wearing supportive or over cushioned shoes. I’ve started wearing zero drop, then barefoot style shoes and my orthotics are now useless. Let your feet do what they evolved to do.

[@ODK321]

Well, like many other things, it's different for each person. I got some custom orthotics and they have made me feel great. They are expensive but I used my FSA through work. I mainly wear them in my work shoes. I can tell the difference when I don't wear them. I also wear some non-custom ones that I get off of Amazon for my other shoes. It helps me tremendously, less back pain, less back strain and tightness but I'm sure it's different for everyone.

[@plopplop6805]

Flat feet have no problem walking barefoot. High-arched people often will have issues. Once you put a cushion underneath the foot, it causes instability in most people (especially flatter feet in the form of overpronation), hence the reason to add stability features. It's the people with high arches that need shoes LOL. I challenge anyone with high arches to run a distance race barefoot against someone who is flat-footed and even one that overpronates. High-arched people most likely wouldn't like it or make it. High arched feet are inefficient when barefoot. This is coming from a flat-footed overpronating forefoot striker LOL!!

I've just started working at a store that sells these things (I'm a physiotherapy student) and this video is really good for me!

[@ahmedrehan5810]

Hi plz tell me which is best for flate foot correction a sillicon arch sole or plastic?

[@janticewilson]

I have congenital pes planus & the foot doctor said it’s caused by the ligament laxity in my knees. I have arch-support orthotics & was advised to ice my knees whenever I get those painless “pop” in the knee bones. Nice looking arch, Bob!

[@kareemawad35]

I have Flat feet, I have purchased over 15 different shoe inserts along with 20+ shoes, trying to find a comfortable shoe I can wear all day at work. All the “arch support” insoles just hurt my feet more. I ended up with Puma Suede Classic shoes. I wear them everyday and own multiple pairs now. I don’t get any foot pain or knee pain anymore.

[@Tanja220]

Brooks DYADs tennis shoes have a built in arch support. They are expensive but they hold up well and provide adaquit support.

[@zeimeris]

Disagree about that it should feel good right away. The foot muscles like any other are painful when stiff and have trigger points as well. So its normal that arch support is massaging and pressing that stiff flat arch causing some discomfort.

[@TinekeWilliams]

Shoes are very important, if they are not comfy initially don’t buy them.

[@dannyturner7967]

Shoes are actually very deceiving they can be very comfortable at the store and very uncomfortable two weeks later

[@MrsMarks]

Wise words.

[@TinekeWilliams]

danny turner Never had any problem, as long as nothing pinched, felt tight or when the sales person said they will walk in , worst advice ever given. I am the only one in my group with decent looking feet and toes

[@i_am_slab]

Happy birthday, Ryan!!!!!

[@rewrose2838]

You guys seem like very genuinely nice people, you can tell by the way they treat their nephew. Kids deserve such role models 😅😁 I have terribly flat feet, very soft all over, and a case of genu valgum. The doctors recommend against getting the surgery, since I can walk around just fine and it'd be unnecessarily risky, but I have used my share of bad feet supports (their quality is clear within 2-3 days of use usually)

[@JeannieBeanie]

I've never had much luck getting good custom orthotics. I buy vionic supports several times per year and Brooks Addiction Walker shoes. Those shoes really help pronation.

[@lindalamb7512]

Bionic doesn’t help me

[@JeannieBeanie]

@@lindalamb7512 keep trying till you find something that works for you. Others here have mentioned other brands that work for them. My point was that the custom orthotics never worked for me. In fact made them worse.

[@poopdawg2301]

Military doctors need to watch your videos!

[@heatherfraser2487]

There are different ways feet can be flat. I have had custom and store bought arche support. I have spent lots of money on both trying to find the right one. I did physical therapy worked a little then my partial tendon started to become inflamed. So do talk to a Dr. Find one can trust and work with them.

[@cindywhalley3370]

Happy Birthday mate!🎂