The Benefits of Custom Orthotic Inserts

Orthotic inserts are shoe insoles that provide extra support and comfort for a variety of foot conditions. They can be shaped by taking impressions of your feet or created from a three-dimensional image, and they can also be prescribed and designed by a podiatrist.

Orthotics for everyday use are a good option for people who have foot problems like bunions, plantar fasciitis or heel pain. They can even help people who are suffering from arthritis or other foot problems.

There are many different kinds of orthotic inserts, but the most common are made from soft plastic, foam or rubber. Some are specifically designed for specific types of shoes, such as running shoes or tennis shoes. They can be expensive, but may be worth it for the benefits they provide.

The process of creating custom orthotic inserts begins with a consultation and examination with a podiatrist, who has special training in the foot and ankle. He or she will evaluate your condition, take detailed measurements and make recommendations for a specific type of orthotic.

Once the diagnosis is made, the doctor will create a cast of your feet and send it off to a lab that specializes in making custom orthotics. The plaster will be wet, and it will take 5 to 10 minutes for the cast to set. The doctor will then remove the cast and store it for 24 hours before sending it off to the lab.

Depending on the specific needs of the patient, custom orthotic inserts may be designed to fit in or around the arch, or in or between the heels and ball of the foot. The goal is to improve alignment and relieve pain by distributing pressure evenly over the foot’s surface, which can reduce stress on joints, muscles and other parts of the body.

In contrast, over-the-counter shoe inserts are usually made from prefabricated materials that are designed to fit into any shoes. While these may be effective, they aren’t as customized for your individual needs and can be more difficult to use than custom orthotic inserts.

When it comes to pronation and supination, the custom orthotic enthusiast may say that their product can “restore proper motion to the foot.” They will tweak the design of the orthosis so it forces your foot to do a different, unnatural, but supposedly helpful motion than you were doing before. The problem is that those unnatural motions are the same ones your foot needs to do in order to initiate shock absorption.

As I explained in episode 140 of The Movement Movement Podcast, this is the same way your brain perceives stretching or foam rolling. Unless you know what you are doing, it’s hard for you to see that these movements are stressors that can lead to pain and discomfort.

The best thing you can do is to be honest with yourself, especially when it comes to pronation and supination. If you do, you’ll be able to make better decisions about your footwear and your health in general. This post https://www.encyclopedia.com/economics/news-and-education-magazines/orthotist-and-prosthetist elaborates more on the topic, so you may need to check it out.