How to Tell If You Have Flat Feet (The Wet Test)

November 12, 2026

Maybe your arches ache by the end of the day. Maybe your trainers always wear down on the inside, or someone in a running shop mentioned your feet "roll in". Whatever made you wonder, finding out whether you have flat feet takes about five minutes, a bowl of water and a piece of card.

This guide walks you through three simple tests you can do at home, shows you how to read and even measure your footprint, and explains what your result means, including when you don't need to do anything at all.

The short answer

The easiest way to tell if you have flat feet is the wet test: wet the sole of your foot, stand on a piece of card, then look at the print. If almost the whole sole shows, with little or no curve along the inside, your arches are low. A tiptoe test then tells you whether they're flexible or rigid. Flat feet only need treatment if they cause pain or other problems.

What are flat feet?

Flat feet, also called fallen arches, means the arch along the inside of your foot is low or touches the ground when you stand. It's very common. The NHS notes that flat feet don't usually cause problems and don't need treatment, and young children's feet are usually flat until their arches develop as they grow.

For some adults, though, low arches go hand in hand with aching feet, tired legs or shoes that wear unevenly. That's when it's worth checking.

Test 1 of 3The wet test

What you need: a bowl or tray of water, and a piece of card, a brown paper bag or a dry patio slab.

How to do it:

Wet the sole of one foot.
Stand normally on the card, with your weight spread evenly across both feet, for a few seconds.
Step off and look at the print straight away, before it dries.
Repeat with the other foot, as arches can differ.

What you'll see:

Your print	What it means
Almost the whole sole shows, a wide flat foot sole with little or no inward curve	Low arch, or flat feet
A clear curve along the inside, with about half the arch area showing	Medium, or typical, arch
Mostly just the heel and the ball of the foot, joined by a thin strip or not at all	High arch

Which arch type are you: wet footprints and foot bone illustrations for a high arch, a medium arch and a low or flat arch

Want to measure your print?

Researchers often use a measure called the Chippaux-Smirak index to score footprints. You can do a simple version with a ruler:

Measure the widest part of the front of your print (across the ball of your foot), in millimetres.
Measure the narrowest part of the middle of your print (across the arch area).
Divide the middle measurement by the front measurement, then multiply by 100.

Your score	What it suggests
Under 25%	High arch
25% to 45%	Typical arch
Over 45%	Low arch or flat foot

How to measure your footprint: the narrowest width of the arch area divided by the widest width of the forefoot, times 100, with score ranges for high, typical and low arches

These cut-offs come from footprint research, such as this 2021 study, but different studies use slightly different ranges, and a review of foot classification methods found the systems don't always agree with each other. Treat your score as a guide, not a diagnosis.

Test 2 of 3The tiptoe test

If your print looks flat, this test tells you whether your arch can still lift.

How to do it: stand up, then rise onto your tiptoes. Or sit down and look at the inside of your foot without any weight on it.

An arch appears: you have flexible flat feet. This is the most common type, and it usually responds well to arch support and foot exercises.
No arch in any position: your feet may be rigid. It's worth seeing a podiatrist, especially if your feet are stiff or sore.

The tiptoe test for flat feet: stand normally, then rise onto your toes; an arch that appears suggests flexible flat feet, and an arch that stays flat suggests rigid flat feet

Test 3 of 3The shoe check

Your shoes keep a record of how you walk.

How to do it: take a pair of shoes you wear a lot, put them on a table and look at them from behind, then turn them over.

Heels tilting inwards, or the soles worn down along the inner edge, can be a sign that your feet roll inwards as you walk, which often goes with low arches.
Even wear across the heel and sole usually means your feet land fairly evenly.

The shoe check for flat feet: a shoe heel standing upright with even wear, and a shoe heel tilting inwards with wear along the inner edge

Shoe wear is only a rough clue, as the way you walk and your shoe's design also affect it, so use it alongside the other two tests.

What your results mean

Put your three results together and find the row that matches you.

Your results	What it means	What to do
Flat print, arch appears on tiptoe, no pain	Flexible flat feet that aren't causing problems	Nothing. Many people have flat feet and never need treatment
Flat print, arch appears on tiptoe, arches ache or feet tire easily	Flexible flat feet that may need some help	Try arch support and foot-strengthening exercises
Flat print, no arch in any position, or feet that are stiff, painful or newly flat	Possibly rigid flat feet, or a change worth checking	See a GP or podiatrist before buying anything
Medium arch	A typical foot	Choose comfortable, cushioned shoes
High arch	Less of the foot touches the ground	Look for extra cushioning; see a podiatrist if your arches are painful

Support for flat feet: what actually helps

If your flat feet are causing aches, the NHS lists insoles and foot exercises among the treatments that can help. They won't change the shape of your feet, but they can ease pain and tiredness.

Insoles with arch support

The most practical support for flat feet is an insole that holds your arch up as your foot takes your weight. Good inserts for fallen arches should have:

Feature	Why it matters
Firm, contoured arch support	Helps stop the arch dropping as you stand and walk
A deep heel cup	Keeps the heel steady, so the foot is less likely to roll inwards
Cushioning	Makes long days on hard floors more comfortable
A trim-to-fit, full-length shape	Stays in place in trainers, work shoes and boots

You don't usually need custom-made orthotics to start with. Well-made low arch insoles are a sensible first step, and you can see a podiatrist if they don't help. ZakSole insoles combine contoured arch support, a deep heel cup and cushioning, for £19.99 a pair with free UK delivery and a 30-day trial.

Supportive shoes

Look for shoes with a firm heel, some built-in arch support, and a sole that doesn't bend in the middle when you twist it. Very flat, flexible shoes and flip-flops give fallen arches little help.

Foot strengthening exercises

Insoles support the arch from the outside; exercises strengthen the muscles that hold it up from the inside. Our guide to exercises for flat feet shows five simple moves, including the short foot exercise. Combining exercises with arch support for fallen arches gives you support straight away while your strength builds over the following weeks.

Not sure which type of insole suits you? Read how to choose the right insoles for your foot type.

When to see a GP or podiatrist

The NHS advises seeing a GP if:

your feet are painful, stiff, numb or weak
you often injure your feet or ankles
your feet have become flat when they weren't before, or one foot is flatter than the other
the pain doesn't improve with supportive shoes and insoles

In many areas you can refer yourself to an NHS podiatrist without seeing a GP first.

FAQs

How do I know if I have flat feet?

The simplest check is the wet test. Wet the sole of your foot, stand on a piece of card, and look at the print. If almost the whole sole shows with little or no curve along the inside, your arches are low. Standing on tiptoe then shows whether they're flexible or rigid.

Is the wet test accurate?

The wet test is a useful guide but not a diagnosis. Footprint methods are widely used in research, yet different scoring systems don't always agree. If you have pain, stiffness or a foot that's changed shape, a podiatrist can assess you properly.

Can flat feet be fixed?

Flat feet can't usually be reshaped, and the NHS says insoles and exercises won't change the shape of your feet. What they can do is ease pain and tiredness, which is what matters for most people. Many people with flat feet never need treatment at all.

Do I need insoles if I have flat feet?

You only need insoles if your flat feet are causing problems. If your arches ache, your feet tire quickly or your shoes wear unevenly, insoles with firm arch support and a deep heel cup are worth trying. If your feet feel fine, you don't need them.

What's the difference between flexible and rigid flat feet?

Flexible flat feet look flat when you stand, but an arch appears when you rise onto your toes or sit down. They're the most common type. Rigid flat feet stay flat in every position and are worth getting checked by a podiatrist.

Can your arches drop as you get older?

Arches can drop with age. Some adults find their arches lower over time, especially with extra weight or a problem with the tendon that supports the arch. The NHS advises seeing a GP if your feet have become flat when they weren't before, or if one foot changes more than the other.

Keep reading

References

This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. Speak to your GP or a podiatrist if your feet are painful or changing shape.

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How to Tell If You Have Flat Feet (The Wet Test)

The short answer

What are flat feet?