Bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels make up the complex structure of your feet. Your foot structure can affect other joints and overall health if it is altered or misaligned.
Plantar fasciitis, flat feet, and high arches are among the conditions that cause foot pain in many patients. Patients are also experiencing increased foot pain due to various factors, including the failure to wear prescribed insoles or custom orthotics prescribed by licensed podiatrist doctors.
Although it’s a common problem, foot pain can impact your daily life, making it difficult to move around and complete your regular activities. Custom orthotics are shoe inserts designed to support and correct the unique structure of your feet. With customized fit, they help alleviate foot pain and help you get back on your feet much faster than over-the-counter inserts.
While a foot doctor in Owen Sound may advise many treatment options for foot pain, custom orthotics are often a highly effective solution, and investing in them has many benefits. Here are some of them:
Improved Alignment
Proper alignment is essential for maintaining balance and reducing the risk of falls, injuries, and foot pain. When your feet are not properly aligned, it can cause various problems, such as overpronation (when your feet roll inward too much) or supination (when your feet roll outward too much). An uneven distribution of weight on your feet can lead to pain and discomfort in various areas of your feet, such as your arches, heels, and balls.
Custom orthotics can help improve alignment by providing support and cushioning to the areas of your feet that need it most. They can help redistribute your weight more evenly, reducing pressure on specific areas of your feet and relieving pain and discomfort.
When you visit an ankle and foot doctor for orthotics, they will take precise measurements of your feet and assess your gait (how you walk) to determine your needs. They may also consider any specific foot conditions you may have, such as flat feet or high arches when designing your custom orthotics.
Discreet Support
Custom orthotics can also benefit you in terms of discreet support. For a range of foot conditions, custom orthotics can provide discreet support unavailable with standard footwear inserts or insoles.
Custom orthotics can be made from foam, plastic, or leather and can be shaped to fit your feet perfectly. This means that they can provide support for specific areas of your feet, such as the arches or heels, without affecting the overall fit or appearance of your shoes.
Many custom orthotics are designed to fit into various footwear, such as dress shoes, athletic shoes, and sandals. This means you can continue to wear the shoes you love while receiving the support and comfort you need.
Protect Your Joints
As you walk, run, or jump, the force applied to the joints of your feet, legs, and spine is equivalent to several times your weight. This force can wear and tear your joints over time, causing pain and soreness, especially for those who are overweight, walk on hard surfaces, or have foot problems such as flat feet.
By distributing the pressure more evenly across the surface of your feet, custom orthotics can help support the force load of your body. Additionally, custom orthotics can absorb impact, enabling you to remain active throughout the day.
Using custom orthotics can help protect your joints and reduce your risk of developing joint pain or arthritis by supporting your feet and reducing the impact of your body weight on your joints. If you are experiencing joint pain or discomfort or have a condition that puts extra strain on your joints, talk to a foot pain doctor to find out if custom orthotics may be a helpful solution to consider.
Reduce Pressure
Because custom orthotics provide individualized support, it helps distribute pressure more evenly across the entire foot rather than just in certain areas. This can be particularly helpful for individuals with conditions like plantar fasciitis, where pressure on the heel and arch can be a major source of pain. Individuals who spend much time standing or walking on hard surfaces may benefit from custom orthotics that can reduce pressure on the ball of their feet.
Injury Prevention
When you walk or run, your feet are constantly subjected to stress and impact, especially if you spend much time on your feet. This can lead to muscle and bone problems, including injuries to your tendons, muscles, and joints and stress fractures.
According to research, custom orthotics can significantly reduce the risk of injury, including medial tibial stress syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and knee pain. In fact, foot orthotics have been shown to lower the risk of injuries by up to 28% and the risk of stress fractures by up to 41%. Custom orthotics are specifically designed to support and cushion your unique foot shape, reducing the stress and impact on your muscles, tendons, and joints.
It’s worth noting that over-the-counter shock-absorbing insoles may provide a different level of protection than custom orthotics, as they are not designed to fit your foot shape and movement patterns. On the other hand, investing in custom orthotics can help prevent injuries and protect your feet, keeping you active and pain-free.
Enhance Back, Knee, and Ankle Health
Custom orthotics can also help enhance the health of your back, knees, and ankles by improving your overall posture and alignment. Proper foot support can help alleviate the stress placed on these areas by providing better shock absorption, reducing the impact of each step you take. In addition to correcting pronation and supination issues, custom orthotics can improve your gait, reducing strain on your back, knees, and ankles. This can be especially beneficial for athletes, individuals who spend much time on their feet, or those who have had previous injuries or surgeries.
Improve Athletic Performance
By reducing the stress on your feet and legs, custom orthotics can help increase your endurance and reduce the risk of injury. They can also help improve your balance, stability, and overall foot function, allowing you to move more efficiently and precisely.
Athletes who use custom orthotics report improved comfort, reduced pain, and better overall performance. Ultimately, custom orthotics can provide the individualized support and alignment needed to optimize your athletic potential.
Precise Fit
As repeatedly outlined, custom orthotics are designed to fit the unique contours of your feet, providing a precise fit that can improve your overall foot function and reduce the risk of pain and injury. The accurate fit of custom orthotics can help correct imbalances and alignment issues, leading to improved biomechanics and reduced strain on your feet and lower extremities.
By providing a custom fit, they can also help alleviate pressure points and improve circulation, which can help reduce foot fatigue and improve overall comfort.
If you’re looking for a foot care center in Owen Sound with competent and reliable podiatrists to care for your foot pain through quality custom orthotics, Brubacher Foot Comfort is here. We are one of the leading foot clinics in Owen Sound, specializing in custom and modified orthotics for the whole family.
Talk to one of our Owen Sound foot specialists today by calling 519–376–4523.