Flat feet a symptom of hypothyroidism!

[Josiesmum]

naturalnews.com/048842_hypo...

If this is correct, I wonder if it should be added to this list?

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Marz]

From reading - I have learned - it is the weakening of the muscles due to low thyroid hormones that causes the flat feet/fallen arches. My hubby suffers - and I do not - so yet again we are all different I often think thyroid when I watch Murray play tennis - he has flat feet and ankle supports - and emotions that go up and down - and a suspect neck ?? But hey what do I know ?

Thank you for your post ....

[Josiesmum in reply to Marz]

You know a lot

[LouiseRoberts]

Thanks for the suggestion. We try to limit the symptom list to those that can be backed by research. Perhaps this is something we should look into lynmynott ?

xx

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I have the oppostite of flat feet - pes cavus.

Suspect it is awkward to argue them being a symptom because some will have them independently of thyroid issues. Onset of flat feet (arches which have fallen, or started to fall) may well be a better way of expressing the issue?

[Hypopotamus]

When I was knocked of my bike, and the car ran over my foot, I had to see a specialist to assess the injury for insurance purposes. He told me that I had some of the highest arches that he had ever seen, and I have been hypo for the last 30 years or more.

[Hidden]

We all have a different constellation of symptoms though. very few symptoms, except perhaps fatigue, are felt by everyone who is hypo. Reading that nn list, quite a few may be connected to the nutrient deficiencies because of the lowered stomach acid or overlapping conditions like celiac, pa, autoimmune gastritis etc. Eg the pale skin signals low iron and the tinnitus may link to low B12. Low arches might also link to nutrient deficiencies, perhaps something like D and tryptophan.

It makes sense that untreated symptoms should differ from treated, too.

I currently am suffering a bad bout of plantar fasciitis, heel pain, which is linked to hypo and which also links to poor arch strength and I think to achilles tendonitis. I got it after walking for two days a lot, with no arch support. I've had it before, without realising it linked to hypo.

My arches have been poor life long, an untreated life long.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Olivia Francesca et al published in 2013 an interesting paper called Thyroid hormone and tendon.

It doesn't refer to feet as such, but it has some interesting insights.

A relationship between thyroid diseases and shoulder pain has been suspected since the 20s. (Interesting to me since I had severe RSI with shoulder pain in the past. At that time my TSH was under 2, but the t4 was low in range.)

Thyroxine is important for collagen synthesis.

Tendionapathy can be the presenting complaint in thyroid disease. Usually there is relief when it is managed. (it would be worth all those with rsi getting their antibodies privately checked in my view.)

Hypothyroidism is accompanied by decreased rates of catabolism of collagen.

There are THR receptors in tendons, they regulate the proliferation of tenocytes, a key component. BOTH T3 and T4 act on cell growth and protect against cell death of these components. (i think that's very interesting, and may support the view that low t4 should be treated in Rsi and that T3 should be checked.)

there is a well known assoc between hypo and muscular disease.

Around 10 per cent of hypos has carpal tunnel (i didn't).

[Josiesmum in reply to Hidden]

That's interesting, thanks. My family members who have flat feet also have swollen ankles, another hypo symptom, but none have ever suspected thyroid problems.

I also remember reading about an association between gluten intolerance and frozen shoulder, I guess it's all connected.

[Hidden in reply to Josiesmum]

Thanks jm .. I can find some refs to gluten/celiac and frozen shoulder but no published research so far. But I think there will be a connection, and it will be the so far unrecognised (except anecdotally in places like this) and unstudied connection between gluten sensitivity and hypo.