Custom orthotics can support, align, prevent, and correct deformities in your foot. Foot orthotics are custom-made insoles that slip inside the patient’s shoe. Orthotics gently manipulate the foot to correct various issues.
Custom orthotics can be very beneficial for certain patients. Orthotics are the preferred treatment for foot pain and plantar fasciitis, for example. Some patients also use custom orthotics to reduce muscular fatigue. Custom orthotics can also increase endurance, strength, and performance during athletic activities. They’re popular among people who frequently carry heavy weight, for example, or those who spend a lot of time standing or walking every day. In general, if you have joint pain, or if you stand or walk on hard surfaces for extended periods of time on a daily basis, then you may benefit from custom orthotics.
There are different types of orthotics. You can purchase over-the-counter orthotics, for example, that only support one of three arches in your foot. These orthotics are not custom-designed for your feet, but they can provide moderate relief from various foot-related conditions.
Custom orthotics, on the other hand, are designed specifically for the shape of your feet. They typically support all three arches of your foot. They’re custom-made – often by hand – and take into consideration information about your feet, body, and health to create the perfect solution.
Benefits of Custom Orthotics
Some of the benefits of custom orthotics can include all of the following:
Enhanced Foot Support: Each foot has 26 bones and over 100 muscles. They’re surprisingly complex. They also bear the entire weight of your body. That’s why we encourage patients to pay more attention to their feet.
Superior Comfort: Custom orthotics are about more than just correcting foot posture. At the most basic level, custom orthotics can significantly improve comfort. After getting custom orthotics, many people wish to wear them all the time. Orthotics make it easier to stand and walk comfortably in all situations.
Reduced Pain: Many patients find that custom orthotics significantly reduce pain. Orthotics support and align your foot in various ways to correct deformities. You might be experiencing pain in your feet, legs, or lower back due to these deformities. Custom orthotics can correct these issues.
Corrected Pronation: “Pronation” occurs when collapsed arches cause the ankle to fall towards the center of the body. This leads to increased stress on the feet, knees, hips, and lower back as your entirelower body fights to correct this issue. Pronation also makes you more susceptible to a knee injury while playing sports. Custom orthotics can provide arch support to correct pronation, helping to relieve stress from other joints in your body.
Corrected Supination: Very high arches can lead to supination. Supination occurs when ankles lean outward away from the center of the body. This condition is the opposite of pronation, but it still puts additional stress on your knees, hips, and lower back.
Better Foot Support: Some patients have one foot with a higher arch than the other. This throws your body off balance, which can make the problem even worse. Custom orthotics support your feet and correct arch problems, helping you maintain a more anatomically correct position.
Renew Chiropractic is a Lakewood chiropractor specializing in custom orthotics. We offer Foot Levelers functional orthotics that support all three arches of the foot. Custom orthotics are individually designed for you based on 3D scans or casts and a doctor’s exam. Highly-trained technicians will craft your custom orthotics by hand, creating insoles that help you support your feet, regain your balance, and begin leading a happier, healthier life.