What are orthotics?
Orthotics are custom-made medical shoe inserts designed to relieve foot pain, provide support, and correct structural issues with your feet. Your feet are made of a complex network of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Often, foot pain means these structures are misaligned and can’t work together properly, but orthotics can fix these issues.
Orthotics aren’t the same thing as the shoe inserts you can buy at the drugstore. These over-the-counter inserts, made of gel, plastic, or foam, do have more cushioning and better support than the insoles that come with most shoes.
Shoe inserts may be comfortable, and they can provide some short-term pain relief, but they’re also designed to fit as many people as possible. Orthotics, by contrast, are customized to fit your feet perfectly and correct your specific foot problems.
Which foot problems can custom-made orthotics help with?
When you wear custom-orthotics, they gently correct the alignment of your feet so you can walk, stand, and perform other activities without foot pain. They can help with a variety of conditions, including:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Arch pain
- Achilles tendonitis and tendon pain
- Diabetes
- Bunions
- Hammertoe
- Corns and calluses
- Bursitis
- Arthritis
After performing a thorough foot exam and diagnosing your condition, your doctor may go over the potential benefits of custom orthotics.
How can orthotics help with my condition?
Like other shoe inserts, orthotics provide excellent arch support. They also gently realign your feet. When you wear orthotics, your bones stay in place and your tendons and ligaments don’t become as fatigued.
In addition to helping the structure of your feet, orthotics cushion the impact when your feet hit the ground and ensure even contact. Many foot conditions, including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis, result from repeated pressure and stress on your feet. When you wear orthotics, you’re far less likely to put excess stress on any one part of your foot.
How are my custom orthotics made?
The team at Family Foot and Ankle Center uses GaitScan technology to create your custom orthotics. This digital technology creates a detailed scan of your foot that allows your doctor to analyze not only your current foot problems but also biomechanical issues, including the distribution of pressure on your feet when you walk.
Your doctor sends the scan, along with notes about your foot condition, to an orthotics lab and you then receive your orthotics a few weeks later.
To learn more about orthotics, call Family Foot and Ankle Center or schedule an appointment online today
