Thu Feb 23, 2023
Have you ever experienced lingering foot pain? Constant foot and ankle pain can make daily life feel hopeless. Thankfully, there is a remedy. Orthotics can help you find immediate relief. Investing into a set of custom orthotics can help dramatically with alleviating your foot pain.
An orthotic, also known as an insole, is a device worn inside the shoe that can help address structural issues in the foot and ankle. Orthotics can be purchased at your local pharmacy or at sporting goods stores, or better yet prescribed by a podiatrist.
While any kind of insole can help relieve pain and give needed cushioning to your feet, if you want to see a dramatic difference in the condition of your feet and quality of your life, you will want to invest in custom orthotics. You can benefit from custom made orthotics prescribed by a podiatrist. For the purpose of this article, we will be focusing on the purpose and benefits of custom orthotics.
Benefits Of Wearing Custom Orthotics
Orthotics can provide comfort while also reducing foot and ankle pain. Just how braces can correct the position of one’s teeth, custom orthotics serve a similar purpose in terms of aligning one’s feet. Then there are alternative types of custom orthotics that function simply to reduce daily foot pain and reduce the sheer force of one’s weight on painful areas. Overnight, they can make a seemingly miraculous impact on easing your foot and ankle pain.
How Does A Custom Orthotic Alleviate Your Foot Pain?
Everyone’s feet are built differently. Sometimes genetics, one’s lifestyle, or not wearing the proper shoes can cause imbalances in the feet, which subsequently leads to foot pain. Custom orthotics provide a great advantage as they can address specific structural problems in one’s feet that may be leading to all sorts of other problems, such as plantar fasciitis, hammertoes, and bunions.
Oftentimes, orthotics are recommended for heel and arch pain. Other foot issues where orthotics can help include providing solid support for flat feet. Flat feet are the number 1 cause of plantar fasciitis. There are two types of custom orthotics: functional orthotics and accommodative orthotics. Let’s break down the difference between them so that you may see which is best to solve your foot pain.
Functional Orthotics
Otherwise known as rigid orthotics, functional orthotics are made of plastic or carbon fiber and make full contact with the sole of the feet. Functional orthotics help to remedy pain associated with abnormal foot functions. Their purpose is to correct how the feet and ankles move.
Some people may over-rotate their feet, also known as duck footed, when they walk. Others may over-rotate their feet inward, often called pigeon-toed. Both scenarios can lead to all sorts of pain and potential injuries. Functional orthotics serve to correct such movements, which will reduce symptoms associated with those improper biomechanics.
Accommodative Orthotics
Accommodative orthotics, as the name states, accommodate. They do not function to correct any biomechanical movements, but rather alleviate current pain. Also known as soft orthotics, they are bulkier because of their cushioning. This extra cushioning will reduce the force of and redistribute one’s weight away from painful areas in the feet.
Reducing the sheer amount of force on painful areas of the foot will make an immediate positive impact on one’s quality of life. For example, if you are experiencing the pain of a bunion, accommodative orthotics will redistribute the weight of your feet away from the source of pain, which will make walking or running errands more manageable. You will feel as if you are walking on a cloud.
Additional Benefits Of wearing custom Orthotics
Many may not realize this, but issues that occur in the back, hips, and knees oftentimes originate from the feet. By addressing problems at their literal root, or your feet, you can reduce other pain that may plague your body. Some of the additional benefits of orthotics include:
- Reduced ankle and foot pain
- Improved Balance
- Ability to walk or stand for a longer duration
- Decrease in back pain
- Less bunions and calluses
- Improved Walk or Gait
- Better Posture
- Enrichment in overall quality of life
When To Know You Should Get Orthotics
How do you know if custom orthotics are right for you? If you find yourself in constant foot pain, and cannot even walk without feeling major discomfort, chances are you will benefit from custom orthotics. While it may be tempting to just venture to your local pharmacy and purchase a pair of over-the-counter orthotics (which could potentially worsen symptoms), it will be more beneficial in the long run to consult a podiatrist.
Are Custom Orthotics Affordable?
Many insurance providers will make sure you are covered for a new set of custom orthotics each year. You may be asking yourself, where can I find affordable quality orthotics near me? Consult a foot and ankle doctor, who can prescribe premium and cost effective options for custom orthotics.
Everyone’s feet are different. Just how an orthodontist will customize braces for each individual patient of theirs, so will your podiatrist when it comes to custom orthotics for your feet. Think of this as an investment in yourself and well-being, as quality custom orthotics last for many years.
Consult A Podiatrist Today
There is no need to live in pain! If you find yourself suffering from foot and ankle pain, you’re invited to Request an Appointment Today at Willingboro Foot Doctor, the premier foot doctor in South Jersey. If you are seeking a foot doctor in Cherry Hill or a foot doctor in Burlington County, look no further!
Here at Appel Foot & Ankle Center, we offer the highest standard of care in podiatry and seek to make your visit stress-free and discover effective solutions for your foot pain. Make an appointment today and we will find remedies to resolve your foot and ankle problems so that you may live your life without pain and resume your favorite activities. You deserve to enjoy a quality lifestyle.
