Up to 36% of adults know the daily challenges of foot pain. If you’re in this group, you know it takes only a minor foot problem to make your day miserable. A more severe problem can lead to disabling pain.
Anyone who struggles with foot pain may find the relief they need with orthotics. You will also benefit from orthotics if you have a problem with your foot or ankle that disrupts the way your foot moves.
As certified providers of Sole Supports orthotics, the team at Prolete Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine offers exceptional orthotics that are custom molded to fit your foot and specially created to correct your unique foot problem.
Why you need customized orthotics
People with mild foot problems may get all the relief they need from the over-the-counter (OTC) orthotics available in the local pharmacy. But OTC orthotics primarily cushion your feet. They don’t provide therapeutic treatment that targets the source of your pain.
By comparison, prescription orthotics relieve the pain of many different foot conditions. They also correct problems with the way your foot moves, called biomechanics.
You may develop poor biomechanics when a foot condition makes you move differently to prevent pain. Or you could first develop a movement problem that in turn causes foot pain and deformities.
Helping more than just your feet
But biomechanics affect more than your feet. Every time you take a step, the stress ripples up your body. If you have flat feet, for example, your foot rolls abnormally when you walk. This makes your leg rotate out of alignment, which strains your knees.
Additionally, your feet spare your legs and hips from stress as they absorb and offload pressure. And we’re talking about a lot of pressure. With each step, your foot sustains a force that’s equal to five times your body weight.
If your foot doesn’t move normally, it doesn’t absorb the shock. This forces your legs, knees, and hips to take on more pressure than they’re built to handle, causing pain and injuries. Customized orthotics can prevent and solve these problems.
Who might benefit from orthotics
Customized orthotics offer a great solution for faulty foot biomechanics, as well as foot conditions that cause pain.
You may need orthotics if you have any of the following foot conditions:
- Flat feet
- Heel spurs
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bunions
- Hammertoe
- Morton’s neuroma
- Metatarsalgia
- Arched feet
- Heel or foot bursitis
- Achilles tendinitis
- Leg length discrepancy
- Chronic ankle instability
- Knee pain
- Shin splints
- Diabetic foot ulcers
If you have ongoing hip or lower back pain that doesn’t improve with treatment, it’s worth seeking an evaluation of your foot biomechanics to determine if orthotics might help.
How customized orthotics work
Customized Sole Supports orthotics are made from a combination of hard and soft materials designed to treat your unique foot problem. We use a special technique to make a detailed mold of your feet, then use the mold to produce your therapeutic orthotics.
We prescribe customized orthotics that can:
- Reposition feet and ankles
- Absorb shock
- Offload pressure
- Eliminate strain
- Improve stability
- Correct biomechanics
- Align your foot and ankle
- Prevent or correct deformities
Your orthotics are calibrated for your weight and activity level. They’re also engineered to correct and control your foot movement.
Sole Supports orthotics continuously provide the proper arch support as your foot moves. OTC orthotics only support your arches part of the time because they stick with your shoe and move away from your foot as you walk.
To learn if orthotics can relieve your foot pain, call our office in Milford, Connecticut, or book an appointment online for a complete foot evaluation. You can schedule an appointment any time without needing a referral from a physician.