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Custom-made
(prescription) orthotics
What is a
foot orthotic?
Orthotics are custom-made shoe inserts,
made from an electronic scanning or
a plaster cast of the foot which is
form fitted to the foot when not bearing
weight. There are different types
of orthotics designed for different
activities, various shoe gear and
various foot ailments. Its purpose
is to prevent abnormal motion of the
foot while allowing for normal motion
and function.
An orthotic is designed to control the
mechanics of the foot to a precise degree
– from the heel contact phase
of walking through mid stance and toe-off
phases.
Different
types of orthotics
Orthotics fall into three broad categories:
rigid, soft and semi-rigid. Rigid orthotics
are designed to control function. They
may be made of a firm material, such
as plastic or graphite. Soft orthotics
help absorb shock and take pressure
off uncomfortable or sore spots. Semi-rigid
orthotics provide dynamic balance of
the foot while walking or participating
in sports. Orthotics help guide the
foot through proper functions, allowing
the muscles and tendons to perform more
efficiently.
What about
orthotics and children?
Practically all foot imbalances that
podiatrists see stem from childhood.
Bunions, for example, thought to be
cause by poor fitting shoe gear are,
in fact, primarily caused by abnormal
foot mechanics and aggravated by shoes.
These imbalances are recognised as early
as the age of three or four. If a child
has feet that flatten or “roll
in” excessively (called hyper-pronation)
chances are that they will experience
more serious problems in later life.
At an early age, structures of the foot
can be repositioned to grow in proper
alignment. Often, children will not
complain of foot problems and so a check-up
by a podiatrist is a good idea for all
children.
By the age of thirty, most people
are likely to have over 70,000 kilometres
on their feet and in a lifetime, this
figure increases to about 120,000
kilometres.
How do I know
if I need an orthotic?
If you are experiencing foot discomfort
that persists, the origin may be biomechanical
in nature, in which case, an orthotic
would be helpful.
Many times, orthotics can help in situations
of flat feet, high arched foot structure,
heel pain, bunions and even callus formation.
Since the foot is the foundation of
the body, symptoms at the ankle, knee,
hip and lower back can be related.
Since orthotics can work in a preventative
fashion to avoid potential foot problems,
they may be indicated in some cases
even though you are not experiencing
pain. An example of this is when the
foot rolls in or flattens excessively.
This may lead to disabling problems
in the future. Arthritis and soft
tissue damage can result due to the
poor alignment of the foot. Have a
podiatrist do an assessment of your
feet in order to decrease the chance
of potential future problems.
Aren’t
orthotics just expensive arch supports?
Absolutely not! A simple arch support
is designed to push up against the
arch while standing. It is not meant
for ‘static stance’ or
for ‘dynamic motion'. This means
that an arch support is not designed
to control the mechanics of foot imbalances,
which are so varied that a precise
prescription for each patient is often
required.
Buying an arch support over-the-counter
is similar to buying eye glasses off
the shelf. An exact understanding of
where the problem lies is required in
order to obtain optimum results.
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