Properly support the foot and the rest of the body will align itself!! If you have aches and pains in your feet, knees, back or neck the issue may lie in your feet. These pains are often rooted in foot issues such as plantar fasciitis, improper alignment, insufficient support, abnormal gait, flat feet or high arches.  When the foot doesn’t have proper support or alignment of boney tissue it can affect all these other areas of the body. Orthotics are a part of your overall health.

What are Orthotics

Orthotics may resemble the insoles that you insert into shoes but they do much more. They are created according to your foot’s imprint so they are able to provide support where necessary to help balance the biomechanical inadequacies of your feet and legs. In essence, they are custom foot supports that also help gently realign the bones in your feet.

There are 2 main types of orthotic products available on the market: Off the shelf orthotics and custom made orthotics

Off The Shelf Orthotics

Off the shelf orthotics can only help with mild foot issues because they are mass produced to fit a “general” foot. Because they are not custom fitted to your foot, they won’t be the optimal choice for your particular foot issues. Off the shelf orthotics can be less costly and are a good starting point if financial cost or lack of adequate health coverage is a concern. In some cases off the shelf orthotics may relieve the issue but if they don’t the next step is to get fitted for custom orthotics. 

Custom Orthotics

Custom orthotics are designed, measured and fitted for you and you only. They are a key factor in facilitating proper alignment and support of the foot and controlling abnormal gait which both can contribute to foot, knee and back issues.  Some conditions corrected/relieved by custom made orthotics are: Plantar Fasciitis, Diabetic Neuropathy (every Diabetic should have custom made Diabetic Orthotics), knee pain, back pain. shin splints, bunions, hammer toe and ankle issues. We treat all these conditions through careful consultation, examination and if necessary, the fitting, production and dispensing of custom made orthotic inserts.

How to Use Orthotics

Although most people adapt very well to wearing custom orthotics, it will be helpful to gradually increase the wearing time. Start by wearing them a few hours each day and gradually increase the time. Do not wear them for extended periods of time until you are fully comfortable with them. Most custom orthotics have a longevity of 5 to 10 years but need to be replaced earlier if your foot grows more than one and a half sizes, undergoes surgery, sustains some type of trauma or has arthritis.

If you think you may need custom orthotics, please contact us to make an appointment.