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About 25 percent of the population has a condition called flat foot, a collapse in the arch of the foot. It can cause pain in the ankle, heel or leg and eventually the knees, hips, and back. But now some doctors are recommending a controversial fix.
Brian Horn is shooting in the 70s, and it feels good from his feet all the way up - a first after years of pain.
"If you take a red hot ice pick and stick it in your knee. Every step, pain in the feet, toes, hips, low back, neck. Everything was just not working for me," said Horn.
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Horn has flat feet. With no arch, Horn's weight fell on the inside of his foot, throwing off his body's alignment.
Doctor Ivar Roth rebuilt Horn's arch with this titanium stent. Through an incision in the ankle, the stent is placed inside the foot. It forms an arch by holding the bones in place.
"It's instantaneous," said Roth, podiatric surgeon in Newport Beach, Calif. "So, as soon as the implant is put in, the first step down, they notice that their knee pain has gone away because it corrects the position."
He's now back in alignment. No more knee and back pain.
Foot and ankle specialist Dr. Kenneth Jung says this surgery is one option, but only if other treatments like orthotics, medication, bracing or physical therapy fail.
"The long-term studies are not yet available," said Jung.
The implant can be removed if it causes pain. Nearly two years later, Horn has no regrets.
"I don't feel it. I don't know it's there. What I do know, knee pain, hip pain, low back, neck - everything's starting to calm down," said Horn.
The surgery takes about 15 minutes per foot. The patient has to wear a brace or removable cast for three to four weeks. Only about 30 doctors in the country are performing this procedure.
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