What are the implications of using kettlebells with flat feet?

Question

I have a kettlebell but I have found it difficult to maintain proper posture when doing swings. I am worried that doing the swings with pronated feet is likely to cause some type of damage, and trying to keep the arches up manually makes it difficult to perform the movement correctly in the first place. Are these fears warranted?

Answer 1

I'm not aware of any studies that show an increase in permanent injury in resistance training for people with flat feet, but I personally have flat feet so this answer will just be about personal anecdote. In my case, they are 100% flat and most of my bodyweight pressure is applied to where the arch normally is. Despite that, I've managed to do heavy resistance training for nearly 12 years without any injuries, and I don't wear any insoles or special shoes.

First I'll say that you're most likely not in any real danger of permanently or severely injuring yourself while doing kettlebell swings.

The thing about having flat feet is that the muscles and ligaments in your midfoot are under more strain because there's no arch to support them. On top of that, the pronation causes the ankles to bow inward which can pull your knees closer which adds more strain on your hips. So this can make you more susceptible to muscle strain in those areas.

The good news is you can train all this just like anything else. Doing so follows the same rules. Use progressive overload. Only progress a little bit over what you've done before. Listen to your body. Feeling uncomfortable is ok, but stop if you feel any sharp pain.

The first thing to try before starting any standing exercise is to "grab" the floor with your feet. Plant your toes in to the ground and focus on keeping your feet as firm on the ground as possible. It may feel awkward at first, but over time it should become second nature.

The second thing is to keep your feet at a slight angle pointing outward. This is usually good advice for everyone, but it helps reduce the strain on the knee and help reduce the knee cave in.