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Dr. William Knudson Explains the Causes of Flat Feet

September 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Dr. William Knudson

Dr. William Knudson

Dr. William Knudson often sees patients with fallen arches in his Leesburg, Virginia podiatric practice. In some cases, the damage is a result of poor footwear or long-term damage to the foot. But as Dr. William Knudson tells these patients, in some cases the cause of flat feet is genetic. Whatever the cause, Dr. William Knudson advises that patients take measures to correct improper arch support. Failure to do so, Dr. William Knudson says, can result in ongoing health problems. Today, Dr. William Knudson speaks with Interviewing Experts about flat feet—the causes and the best methods of treatment.

Interviewing Experts: All my life, I’ve heard people called “flat-footed.” What exactly does that mean?

Dr. William Knudson: In a normal human foot, the middle of the foot is arched, which helps evenly distribute the weight throughout the foot. A flat-footed individual lacks this arch.

Interviewing Experts: What causes flat-footedness?

Dr. William Knudson: Babies are often born flat-footed but arches form as they grow older. In some children, though, the arch never quite forms, leaving the person flat-footed for life. Then there are those who once had arches, but they’ve since fallen.

Interviewing Experts: What causes someone’s arches to fall?

Dr. William Knudson: The arch of the foot is actually a network of bones, muscles, and joints that help balance the weight of the body. Over time those muscle and joints can weaken and eventually collapse, causing the person to suffer from “fallen arches.” It can be caused by excessive standing on hard surfaces over many years, weight problems, or by wearing improper shoes.

Interviewing Experts: How can I determine if I’m flat-footed?

Dr. William Knudson: The best way to tell is to step on concrete with a wet foot. The footprint should be thin in the center. If there is no thinning out, you may be flat-footed.

Interviewing Experts: Is flat-footedness painful?

Dr. William Knudson: Not by itself, but the resulting strain can cause pain and even inflammation.

Interviewing Experts: Does this only impact the foot?

Dr. William Knudson: Some patients also report ankle, leg, and lower back pain as a result of flat-footedness or fallen arches.

Interviewing Experts: What kind of treatment is available for flat-footedness?

Dr. William Knudson: I often will recommend over-the-counter arch supports, which can be inserted into the patient’s shoe for relief. Elevating the feet and using ice to reduce inflammation can also help.

For patients in the Leesburg, Virginia area, Dr. William Knudson can help provide relief from flat feet at his practice. With thousands of patients relying on his advice, Dr. William Knudson believes in not only helping patients treat foot problems but also advising patients on proper foot care to promote lifelong foot health.

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Foot Care Advice from Dr. William Knudson, Long-time Cedar Rapids, Iowa Podiatrist

November 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Dr. William Knudson, a podiatrist who practiced for many years in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area notes that the human foot has been integrated into many everyday metaphors about life. When a person falls in love, points out Dr. William Knudson of Cedar Rapids, they are said to be “swept off their feet.” When someone is feeling reticent, adds Dr. William Knudson Cedar Rapids, they are described as having “cold feet.”

Dr. William Knudson has accrued many professional distinctions, including the Department Chair of Podiatry at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Cedar Rapids’ Dr. William Knudson is also a certified Diplomat of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. A Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle surgeons, Dr. William Knudson was a practicing podiatrist in the Cedar Rapids/Waterloo area of Iowa from 1996-2009. Recently, Dr. William Knudson began the process of moving his practice to the East Coast.

While practicing in Cedar Rapids, Dr. William Knudson noted that many patients suffered from foot conditions but ignored the symptoms as a sign that their feet were simply sore or tired. In this post, Dr. William Knudson offers some practical tips for foot care.

Swollen feet are a common condition, explains Dr. William Knudson of Cedar Rapids, which occurs when a person is standing up for too long. If they repeatedly experience swollen feet, Dr. William Knudson tells his Cedar Rapids patients that it may actually be an indicator of a more serious health problem. A podiatrist may have treatments or solutions, says Dr. William Knudson, to improve circulation and reduce or eliminate the swelling. Other common circulation related foot ailments observed in his Cedar Rapids patients, says Dr. William Knudson, have been peripheral artery disease and diabetes. These conditions can compromise blood flow to the feet, explains Dr. William Knudson to his Cedar Rapids patients, leading to slow and difficult healing.

Foot care tip from Cedar Rapids podiatrist Dr. William Knudson: If you have a sore, cut or scrape on your foot that is taking to long to heal, visit a podiatrist for professional advice.

About William Knudson Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids podiatrist William Knudson grew up near Des Moines, Iowa. Before moving to Cedar Rapids, William Knudson spent his boyhood enjoying the pastimes of small town mid-America, and when it was time to pursue a vocation, Dr. William Knudson of Cedar Rapids chose Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.

On his way to settling down in Cedar Rapids, Dr. William Knudson pursued medical studies and later graduated from the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. While pursuing a degree there, Dr. William Knudson of Cedar Rapids was awarded the Durlacher Honor Society scholarship, given in recognition of his scholarship and perceived potential for the advancement of podiatric medicine. Cedar Rapids’ Dr. William Knudson also received the Philip Brachman Honor Scholarship (1994-1995) and Knudson graduated Cum Laude with both a Bachelor of Science and a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine on May 12, 1995.

Before the move to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Dr. William Knudson was offered a position at Hillcrest Health Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Then in 1996, Cedar Rapids’ Dr. William Knudson was appointed Chief Resident, and he was part of a 24-month program in podiatric medicine and surgery. This opportunity offered Dr. William Knudson extensive training in forefoot, rear foot, ankle, and lower leg reconstruction. Cedar Rapids’ Dr. William Knudson achieved certification in foot and ankle arthroscopy, advanced wound care of the lower extremity and Internal fixation in foot and ankle surgery.

Over the next thirteen years Dr. William Knudson provided care in three well respected practices in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area. In 1997 and 1998, Dr. William practiced at the Northwest Foot and Ankle Associates near Cedar Rapids in Sioux City, Iowa. Dr. William Knudson’s next stop relocated him closer to Cedar Rapids in Waterloo, Iowa where he built a practice at Cedar Valley Podiatry from 1998 through 2006. In 2006, Dr. William Knudson moved to a practice in Cedar Rapids at Iowa Foot and Ankle Clinic.

While practicing at Cedar Rapids’ Iowa Foot and Ankle Clinic, Dr. William Knudson was appointed as Department Chair, Podiatry, at the Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dr. William Knudson also served on the Faculty of the Cedar Rapids Medical Education Foundation. Dr. William Knudson also served as a Panel physician at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Wound Healing Center located at Mercy Medical Center.

Dr. William Knudson’s professional accreditations include certification as a Diplomat of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Cedar Rapids’ Dr. William Knudson is also appointed as a Fellow of the American Collage of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

Following a relocation from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Dr. William Knudson moved to and currently resides in Zanesville, Ohio.

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Foot Care from Dr. William Knudson | Understanding Athletic Shoe Design

October 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

In his work as a podiatrist, Dr. William Knudson frequently treats foot problems that could have been avoided or mitigated with the proper footwear. In our image conscious society, says Dr. William Knudson, people often chose shoes that are fashionable but unhealthy. Dr. William Knudson reminds his patients that their feet are more important than they think.

When it comes to walking and running shoes, explains Dr. William Knudson, shoe designers produce three categories of footwear. The three types of walking and running shoes, continues Dr. William Knudson, are motion control, stability and neutral shoes. Motion control shoes, says Dr. William Knudson, resist twisting and bending. They generally have a straight shape, adds Dr. William Knudson, and are best fit to people with low or flat arches.

Stability shoes are designed with a slight curve in their shape, points out Dr. William Knudson, and are best suited to people with medium arches. This is what podiatrists usually refer to as “normal” arches. The neutral design, says Dr. William Knudson, is a rigid shoe with a curved shape. Dr. William Knudson adds that neutral shoes are suited for feet with high arches.

Regardless of the style of shoe Dr. William Knudson’s patients end up choosing, there are some basics that apply to all footwear. Choose a shoe with a removable insole, recommends Dr. William Knudson, so you have the option of using your own insole or orthotics to further customize the fit. Make sure the shoes have a snug heel, notes Dr. William Knudson, and a toe box with about half an inch of play, so that it is easy to comfortably wiggle the toes. Another good sizing rule with athletic shoes, says Dr. William Knudson, is to try new shoes on late in the day. Due to circulation, feet expand and contract over the course of a day, says Dr. William Knudson, and they are typically at their biggest by late afternoon.

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