Arches make it possible for feet to do what they are designed to do. Gillick, MD and MPH, is a specialist in occupational medicine and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine and Anesthesia at the University of California, San Diego. The Critical Role Arches Play Normal foot arches are strong and springy. They hold the shape of the foot, balance the body and act as shock absorbers. The long arch raises and tilts the inside of the foot to ensure proper body balance over the center of the foot, while the sideways arch stabilizes the front of the foot and prevents the toe bones from rubbing.
Arch structure is genetic.
Although arch-related problems are more common in people with low arches, they frequently develop in people with normal or high arches depending upon how they are used. Movement muscles of the shins, thighs, hips and back normally only fine-tune balance. If arches sag or go flat, they must hold the body in balance over the feet as well as perform their regular work. As a result, they become strained and prone to injury. The foot bones are held in their arched shape by a webbed strapping.