About 75% of Canadians will complain of foot pain at some time in their lives. Problems in the foot are never restricted to the foot. The constant pain affects your mood. Your mobility slows down and lifestyle quality takes a downturn. Custom orthotics are a natural way to manage various foot conditions and take every step pain-free. It is a personalized shoe insert that is made for your foot particularly. In other words, custom orthotics improve foot problems without having you go under the knife or have pain meds. Let’s see how.
What are Custom Orthotics?
Custom orthotics are medical devices specifically designed to manage and improve foot conditions. These are medical shoe inserts that are specifically designed to absorb shock, and relieve and remove pressure from the painful areas in the foot and ankle.
Professionals design orthotics based on your footwear, medical history, work environment and lifestyle. Podiatrists may prescribe them as a functional or accommodative device based on your foot health requirements.
Untreated foot pain can affect the functionality of other body parts.
Who Can Wear Orthotics?
Orthotics benefit anyone with foot injuries or problems. Problematic foot type is one of the most common reasons why people get custom orthotics in Brampton. Whether you have a high arch or a flat foot, a customized orthotic can help you out.
Does your work require you to stand a lot of time on the floor? The extra stress on your feet can cause pain, which often spreads to the knees and lower legs. Custom orthotics help lift this stress off your feet and comfort them.
Do you play sports that involve frequent movement and pressure on the feet? Customized orthotics relieve the pressure, reduce the stress and enable efficient muscle movement. Thus, the athlete can move in different directions easily and without being susceptible to injuries.
How Custom Orthotics Improve Foot Problems?
Foot conditions take a toll on the natural alignment and support of your foot. Custom orthotics fix the alignment, provide support to the arches and relieve pressure from the painful areas.
Flat feet, for instance, do not provide the necessary structural support to your arches leading to pain. If you have flat feet, the professional is most likely to prescribe an orthotic that distributes pressure evenly throughout your feet and restores a healthy arch.
The foot orthotics work differently for different conditions. In the case of bunions, its work is to reduce pressure on your toe joint. A bunion is a small bony bump at the bottom of your big toe. It causes pain and swelling. Wearing the right custom orthotic prevents further worsening and reduces the pain.
In Achilles Tendinotis, the Achilles tendon is overused which leads to pain and swelling. Custom orthotics in this case support and cushion the painful affected area of your foot.
The foot specialist conducts a biomechanical examination, gait analysis and 3D scanning to detect the underlying problem. Once the diagnosis is over, they prescribe the orthotic perfectly fitting to your foot.
Which Conditions Do Custom Foot Orthotics Treat?
A non-surgical foot specialist assesses your foot pain thoroughly. They detect symptoms such as corns, hammertoes, calluses and bunions that are causing the pain and prescribe the orthotic accordingly.
Here are the common conditions custom foot orthotics can treat:
- Achilles tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Flat feet
- Overpronation
- Bunions
- High arches
Once you start wearing the orthotic, the conditions start improving and you can walk on pain-free. It also prevents the condition from worsening and improves the overall way you move.
Are you Looking for Custom Orthotics in Brampton?
Custom orthotics are not the same as the shoe inserts available at shops. The former specifically caters to your foot conditions. The professional detects the cause of the problem and customizes the orthotic accordingly. They guide you on how to keep your feet healthy. If you are in Brampton and suffering from foot conditions, feel free to get in touch with Physiotherapy First.
