The Wet Foot Test for Flat Feet

There is an easy way to figure out if you have flat feet and it’s called the Wet Foot Test.  It is a straightforward method to check the shape of your feet.

Simply wet the bottom of your foot or feet in water, then stand on a flat surface that will show an imprint such as a brown paper bag, a sheet of paper, a brown paper towel or even a dry concrete surface. Make sure there isn’t too much excess water on the feet. Your foot’s imprint should match one of the three generalized foot types:

Normal Feet: neutral arch –  imprint is flared, with forefoot and heel connected by a wide band on the outside. A normal foot lands on the outside of the heel, then rolls inward (pronates) slightly to absorb shock.

Wet Foot Test - Normal Foot footprint Wet Foot Test - Flat Foot footprint Wet Foot Test - High-Arched Foot footprint

Flat Feet: low arch leaves an imprint that looks like the whole sole of the foot. A flat foot strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inward excessively; over time this can lead to injury.

High-Arched Feet: imprint has a very narrow band connecting forefoot and heel. This type of foot usually doesn’t pronate enough and isn’t good at absorbing shock.

Keep in mind that everybody’s feet are unique and yours may not be exactly like any one of the three foot types shown above. You might have slightly flat feet with a smaller footprint than the one in the picture or the print from your left and right feet may not be identical.

Another way to test if you have flat feet is described here.

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