Why do I have flat feet?

epa03192046 A Kashmiri Muslim potter leaves his footprint in the mud as he works on an earthen pots in the outskirts of Srinagar, India, 22 April 2012. Earth Day is marked annually on 22 April, to raise awareness and public responsibility in environment-sustainable practices to care for the earth. EPA/FAROOQ KHAN

I have always had flat feet. When my feet are wet and I leave footprints on the ground, you can see that I have no arches at all. But I don’t experience pain when walking. What are flat feet?

When the arch on the inside of your feet is flattened, you're said to have flat feet. This means that the entire sole of your foot touches the floor when you're standing or walking. Flat feet is actually a very common condition and it's usually painless. It's so common that in an estimated 20-30% of the world’s population, the arch doesn't develop at all in one foot or both feet.