Your Podiatrist Might Recommend Orthotics To Help Your Foot Pain
Posted on: 29 January 2019
If you have chronic foot pain that makes you feel miserable at the end of each day, you should see a podiatrist for treatment. One thing the podiatrist might do is give you orthotics to wear. These are similar to shoe inserts you buy at the store, but they're custom made for your feet so they are more effective. Here's how these custom shoe inserts are made and how they help with foot pain.
Orthotics Are Made For Your Unique Feet
When you buy shoe inserts at the store, you buy a product that is mass produced to fit a wide variety of people. While these can be beneficial to some extent, when you have a foot injury or gait problem, they may not be as much help as custom inserts you get from a podiatrist. The process of getting your orthotics starts with a thorough examination of your feet. The podiatrist also examines your gait to see if you have any abnormalities that could contribute to your foot pain.
Once your problem has been identified, then a prescription can be given for your custom orthotics. This could entail taking computerized images of your feet or making molds of your feet so the prescription shoe inserts can be made in a lab. The custom inserts will fit your foot exactly so support is given where it is needed and padding is applied where it's needed.
There Are Two Types Of Orthotics
While there are different styles of orthotics, there are just two main types. One is made of rigid material, and the other is soft and flexible. The rigid material is useful when you need an insert in your shoe that stabilizes your foot to support an arch or prevent an ankle roll. These inserts are made of a stiff material that lasts a long time. Padded orthotics are flexible, and they're made to act as shock absorbers or to pad a painful part of your foot from your shoe or from the ground when you walk. Since these are softer, the padding wears down over time, and you'll need to replace this type of insert more often.
You wear orthotics inside your shoes, so you should always take them when you buy new shoes so you can get a good fit. By wearing your custom shoe inserts daily and especially when you run or walk long distances, you may prevent problems with foot pain in the future and heal more quickly if you're suffering from foot pain now.
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