Living with plantar fasciitis, calluses, or any other type of foot issue could lead to discomfort while you stand or walk. One of the options to consider is custom orthotics. These devices help you better manage your posture while easing pain and redistributing pressure.
With help from your chiropractor, you can get a better idea about whether custom orthotics can offer the assistance you need. But what exactly are these devices, and what type of benefits can they provide?
What Are Custom Orthotics?
Custom orthotics are personalized shoe inserts made to support and correct your feet’s unique structure. They help to reduce symptoms connected to a variety of foot and ankle conditions. This allows you to get relief from discomfort and improve how you walk.
For mild conditions, over-the-counter orthotics for feet may be enough. For more serious problems, however, these may not offer sufficient support. By getting custom orthotics, you can address your current symptoms while also preventing the progression of the condition. Allowing it to continue and get worse could result in the need for surgery or other invasive procedures.
To create a custom orthotic, a mold of your foot is created. That mold is then used to fashion custom orthopedic inserts that will perfectly match your contours.
There are two main types of custom orthotics: functional and accommodative orthotics. Functional ones are semi-rigid and typically work to control abnormal motion and address injuries.
Accommodative orthotics are softer options than fixed ones. They offer cushioning and support. They are best suited for conditions that cause pain, like calluses and diabetic foot ulcers.
Signs You May Need Custom Orthotics
Custom orthotic inserts can be a good choice if you experience a few issues, beginning with persistent foot pain. It can be important if you experience aching in the arches or balls of your feet that doesn’t seem to get better after resting. Sharp heel pain could also be a sign that you could benefit from orthotics, especially if it happens early in the morning.
Another sign that you may need custom orthotics is foot fatigue. If your feet feel tired or sore after standing or walking, then that could mean a lack of proper support. With custom insoles, you can alleviate the problem.
Numbness and tingling in your feet could also indicate that you may require custom orthotics. You may be placing uneven pressure on your arches. With custom orthotics, you can balance out your weight more evenly.
Often, the need for these devices can be less obvious. You may notice uneven shoe wear, with one side of your sole wearing out faster than the other. You might also feel unstable and could stumble or fall regularly.
Look at your feet as you walk. If your foot rolls inward or outward too much, then that could be a sign that you need custom orthotics.
Some people may also experience body-wide discomfort because of foot misalignment problems. Instability can cause your leg, hip, and back muscles to compensate, leading to strain and even pain. You may experience frequent twisted ankles and sprains if your foot structure is not stable.
What Conditions Can Custom Insoles Help With?
Custom orthotics can help with a number of conditions, including plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is a condition in which you put too much stress on your feet.
It causes inflammation in the plantar fascia, which is a fibrous band that runs from the toes and ball of your foot to your heel. This important band forms the arch on your foot. If you overuse it or it stretches, then you can experience pain.
Custom orthotics for plantar fasciitis help to support the arch while redistributing pressure and absorbing shock. If there are alignment issues, the orthotics can address these, too.
These inserts are also helpful if you have any other problems with your arches. Whether they’re too high or low enough that they’re essentially flat, orthotics provide support.
Persistent bunions or calluses could benefit from the cushioning that the insoles offer, as can heel spurs. If you have metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of your foot), the support may ease it, too.
Some common issues that people with diabetes struggle with are diabetic foot conditions. These include neuropathy, ulcers, numbness, and deformities like the development of hammertoe. By addressing and stabilizing pressure, orthotics help to reduce the likelihood of these problems.
Custom orthotics also assist with ankle problems, like tendonitis and ankle instability. With these devices, you receive targeted support and can correct alignment issues that could make you more prone to sprains.
Benefits of Custom Orthotics
Often, people assume that regular orthotics will be enough to assist them in managing foot and ankle problems. That may not be the case. Depending on the severity of the problem, custom orthotics might be the appropriate solution because of the numerous benefits they offer.
Essential Foot Support
Custom orthotics address the exact issues you have. Because they fit your arches exactly, they offer more dependable stability when you stand and walk. Over-the-counter orthotics may offer a bit of support for certain foot types, but not all of them. You could even end up with more discomfort and instability.
Custom orthotics will address your specific problem areas and give you support along the entire length of your foot. If you have conditions like fallen arches, this is the only real option to consider.
Overall Pain Reduction
Conditions like plantar fasciitis, arthritis, or flat feet can all result in pain that radiates up your legs. You could experience increased strain on your ankles, lower back, and knees. This occurs as your body struggles with its biomechanical balance, trying to compensate for the instability by putting pressure on other areas.
Custom orthotics can help realign your entire structure. Adjusting your posture from the ground up can help you move normally without placing strain on other parts of your body. This leads to less overall pain.
Injury Prevention
Simply walking or standing can be problematic if you have foot or ankle issues. You can be more prone to suffering stress fractures and other injuries. Custom orthotics are particularly helpful at preventing knee pain and ligament injuries, medial tibial stress syndrome, and plantar fasciitis.
Circulation Improvement
Because the orthotics will fit you exactly as needed, they don’t place any excess pressure on your feet. Uneven pressure can more easily cause ulcers. Custom orthotics allow for more consistent circulation, which makes walking and standing more comfortable. You can struggle less with the feeling of having cold or numb feet, too.
Athletic Performance Improvement
If you are active, custom orthotics could assist you in improving your athletic performance. They help reduce the physical demand that your sport may place on your feet and ankles. At the same time, custom orthotics can allow you to produce more efficient and precise movements.
Custom shoe inserts are also helpful at absorbing shock from running or jumping. They can reduce your muscle fatigue by improving the efficiency of your leg and foot movements.
How Providers Create Custom Orthotics
The first step in getting custom orthotic inserts is to go to your provider for a consultation. They will assess your needs to decide whether a custom device is the right option. For most people struggling with foot and ankle problems, these are vital treatment options.
Your chiropractor will check your medical history, get a sense of your activity levels, and ask about your usual footwear. They may also analyze your gait so that they can craft the best custom orthotics.
They will then create a 3D model of your feet. They’ll do this in a non-weight-bearing position to get a better imprint of the arches and contours. There are numerous methods to obtain the 3D model, including plaster casting and the use of a foam impression box. These days, many providers rely on 3D digital scanning techniques.
Once your provider has an accurate imprint of your foot, they can decide on the most suitable materials. They can then start the manufacturing process. There are both digital and traditional methods of doing this.
Your doctor will assemble the custom orthotics and add any necessary extras, like heel lifts. The provider will then call you back for a fitting appointment.
Custom Orthotics Near Me: Finding the Right Support
If you struggle with foot instability, pain, or conditions like plantar fasciitis, you may benefit from custom orthotics. At Algonquin Chiropractic Center, our team offers the chance to easily obtain these devices. Dr. Galante can order custom orthotics for patients in need of additional support. Your insurance could even cover part of the costs.
If you’d like to improve your gait, deal with pain, or address a number of other issues with custom orthotics, Algonquin Chiropractic Center can help. Contact us to schedule an appointment with our team.
