I have flat feet can i join the army

There is also the challenge of arranging special footwear in a military situation. This can make people with flat feet an inconvenience in the eyes of military recruiters. Marching, standing for a while and running can all be difficult with very flat feet.

Even keeping your balance can sometimes be a challenge. These issues can make military operations a big challenge. I hope you have enjoyed finding the answer to the question: can you join the army with flat feet? A mild flat foot will often not affect your chances of joining the military. It can be a different story with a more severe flat foot, especially if you have chronic pain and wear orthotics. My name is Kate, and I created FootwearDynamics to provide information and guidance on problem feet as well as the struggles that arise from having common foot issues.

If you have ever had a run-in with plantar fasciitis then you know how important a good, supportive pair of shoes is. If you want to join the Navy with flat feet, speak with your local recruiter. You may be asked to sign a waiver or seek treatment before continuing your application. Many people have aggravated their preexisting flat foot problems from their time serving in the military. Your local recruiter can give you a highly accurate answer on how they approach this situation to create the best outcome possible.

Similar to the Navy, flat feet are not a disqualifier in the army. Compared to other branches of the military, army training includes a lot of long-distance running, conditioning work, and tasks that involve being on your feet all day.

Take the time to assess if you feel confident in your level of strength and conditioning before you make a commitment to the army. Even something as simple as manning a radio station requires you to be on your feet for hours at a time. Flat feet can develop into painful symptoms that make you ineffective at your job. The coast guard takes the same approach to fleet feet as other branches. Again your ability to join depends on the severity of your condition.

If you have flat feet and want to join regardless, you can sign a waiver. Reference: 2. In fact, most infants start off with flat feet, and then gradually develop an arch by the age of 4 — 5.

Reference: 3. However, a small percentage of the population do have symptoms which may affect their quality of life. These are actually some of the main reasons why flat feet used to be and still is, in some cases a disqualifying condition in the military. As a medical condition, flat feet is a condition diagnosed by a podiatrist.

It typically involves a medical exam that will include things like a visual examination, x-rays, and possibly even an MRI. The best way to discover what type of arch you have is to do a footprint test.

It works like this:. Step 1: Fill a baking dish or a cookie sheet with about a half an inch of water. The Tiptoes test simply involves standing on your tiptoes and observing whether or not a visible arch forms. Despite the notion that flat feet is a fairly benign condition, there are some instances where it can be detrimental. Later in the Vietnam War, the condition was no longer disqualifying.

Reference: 5. Reference: 6. This myth was perpetuated by the fact that many doctors believed it would cause disadvantages for the individual while hiking on long marches.

It was so bad that doctors and other medical professionals were inundated with requests by family members to be diagnosed with any and all conditions that might disqualify them from the draft. More recently, a study conducted on trainees in US Naval Special Warfare training noted no major differences in risk of stress fracture in those with low, medium, and high arch feet. Reference: 8. Asymptomatic flat feet is a condition where you can perform daily physical activities without any pain or discomfort.

Symptomatic flat feet, on the other hand, is a condition characterized by physical pain caused specifically by your flat feet. If you have been diagnosed with chronic pain whose root cause is from the symptomatic type, you cannot serve in the US military. As mentioned earlier, symptoms include pain in the arch area of your foot, as well as swelling in your heel. Just like with the other 5 branches of the military, flat feet is not a disqualifying condition for the US Army.

You may be able to join the US Army, but it could be a very painful experience if you have flat feet. For example, you may show asymptomatic signs when you initially enlist and begin recruit training. You may have flat feet and experience no symptoms. Flat feet symptoms can continue to worsen and cause problems elsewhere in your body.

Custom-fit orthotic inserts can provide flat feet with the support they need to keep you aligned and pain-free. Call us at or email customerservice footdoctorsorthotics. Offer valid through December 31, Shop Now. Focus on Feet Modern policy on physical requirements for soldiers was shaped by centuries of war, and medical practitioners who understood that good soldiering requires good feet.

Shop Additional Products.