Foot problems aren’t uncommon, no matter your age or health. An awkward gait, painful bunion, or old sports injury all have the potential to interfere with our daily routines and overall quality of life. While some conditions can only be healed through advanced treatment, custom orthotics offer a non-invasive and surprisingly affordable solution to many foot-related woes.
Understanding Orthotics
Orthotics are, on a very basic level, similar to the padded insoles you can buy from any drugstore. However, custom orthotics have a special advantage that sets them apart from anything you can buy over the counter: they’re designed by your podiatrist and made especially for you. Since orthotics are designed specifically for your feet, they provide many benefits. Custom orthotics can, for instance:
- Improve your posture
- Help fix an awkward or embarrassing gait
- Reduce pain caused by bunions or recurring injuries
- Alleviate symptoms of other chronic podiatric conditions
Orthotics Are Made Just for You
When you meet with your podiatrist to order orthotics, they’ll design a new pair of insoles meant to address your unique needs and desires. Your podiatrist will measure your feet, examine their particular characteristics, and log their dimensions. Once your podiatrist gets a feel for your feet, they can design orthotics that suit and sometimes alter your body’s natural biomechanical functioning.
Custom Orthotics Treat Many Conditions
The personal nature of custom orthotics means they can be highly beneficial to people who:
- Have arthritis
- Are struggling with a bunion
- Are recovering from plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendon tears
Even people who don’t have foot-specific complaints can benefit from orthotics. One out of ten Americans, for instance, has been diagnosed with diabetes. Since diabetes can impact feet in a variety of unpleasant ways, orthotics can help diabetics manage their disease in a more comfortable, medically appropriate way by facilitating blood flow and encouraging better circulation. Orthotics can also be used to treat certain kinds of back pain.
Orthotics are a necessity for athletes and other active people, who make great demands of their feet and are disproportionately likely to suffer tendon tears, contusions, and fractures.
Orthotics can help treat problems that already exist while diminishing the chance of sustaining new or recurring injuries. Orthotics also tend to last for years—making them a wise investment for people who are health and safety conscious.
Don’t Hesitate to Find Out If Orthotics Are Right for You
Whether you have a bunion or are fighting your way through arthritis, orthotics can likely improve your well-being while keeping your feet far happier than insoles off the shelf. If you want to give your feet the expert care they deserve, complete our contact form or give us a call today. We can talk through your foot-related complaints and recovery goals to get you a head-start towards the health that you deserve.