We asked podiatrist Mike O'Neill from the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists what he would want to know about flat feet.

My one-year-old daughter's feet have no arches. Is this normal?

It's a normal stage of development for infants and young children to have flat feet. The arch develops between the ages of three and 10. But see a foot specialist for advice if your child's feet are painful, or they have flat feet and severely knock-knees, or they walk with their feet in a 'ten-to-two' position, or they often stumble because of flat feet. 

I have flat feet. Will I need treatment?

Not necessarily. It could be that your feet are just shaped like this. But get medical advice if you've only recently developed flat feet, they're causing you pain or stiffness, only one foot is affected, or if flat feet are causing you to wear down shoes quickly.

What happens if I don't have treatment?

This depends on what has caused the flat foot. In many cases, there's no reason to worry. However, not having treatment could lead to further problems in some cases, such as when the flat foot is caused by a ruptured tendon.

My husband has flat feet. Does this mean that my children will too?

Flat feet do tend to run in families. But whether your children will have flat feet depends on whether your husband's feet are naturally shaped that way or whether there's an underlying medical reason for his flat feet.