5 Benefits of Custom Orthotics for Your Feet

Whether you’re experiencing the first pangs of foot pain or you’ve curtailed activities because of persistent pain, custom orthotics may be the perfect solution.

Unlike over-the-counter shoe inserts made for minor problems, custom orthotics designed by our Specialized Foot and Ankle Care team fit your unique feet and provide the support needed to overcome your pain.

Ready to walk, run, and jump without pain? Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of orthotics.

About custom orthotics

Though you can buy over-the-counter orthotic inserts (insoles), they're not customized to meet your personal needs.

To create custom orthotics, we begin with a comprehensive evaluation, which includes learning about your symptoms, examining your feet, and performing a gait analysis.

A gait analysis shows how your feet, ankles, and legs move when you walk. It can reveal problems like muscle weakness, arches that flatten with pressure, and other issues that cause pain.

If we determine that orthotics can help, we use a specialized computer program to take 3D images of your feet, ensuring your inserts perfectly fit the contours of your feet and the way you move.

Then, we create the design and materials needed to treat your unique foot and movement challenges. Customized orthotics deliver therapeutic results you can’t get from commercial products.

Five benefits of custom orthotics

Here’s a rundown of five benefits provided by custom orthotics:

1. Relieve foot pain

Customized orthotics improve foot pain from many possible causes. We may use soft materials to cushion painful conditions like bunions and calluses.

Or, your orthotics may include a combination of rigid, semi-rigid, and soft materials to relieve pain caused by movement problems, deformities, and wounds.

2. Improve foot biomechanics

Biomechanics refers to the way your feet and ankles move. Foot movement depends on the structure and health of bones, joints, and supportive tissues.

The most common biomechanical problems include:

Flat feet
High arches
Overpronation (the foot rolls too far inward when walking)
Underpronation (the foot fails to roll inward as much as needed when walking)

Biomechanical problems change how you walk, leading to problems such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, ankle sprains, and sports injuries.

Customized orthotics improve biomechanics, controlling foot and ankle movement and ensuring proper alignment of your foot and ankle.

3. Treat foot conditions and injuries

In addition to easing foot and ankle pain, orthotics help treat foot conditions by providing stability, relieving pressure points, and improving balance, posture, misalignment, and biomechanical problems.

We may recommend custom orthotics for many conditions, including:

Plantar fasciitis
Hammertoes
Bunions
Tendonitis
Diabetic foot ulcers
Sprained ankles
Heel pain
Bursitis
Calluses
Flat feet
Arthritis

Problems in your feet affect the way you walk and move, placing excessive pressure on your legs, hips, and spine. In some cases, orthotics may ease knee, hip, and lower back pain.

4. Enhance athletic performance

Orthotics keep feet healthy despite the strain of sports activities by distributing weight evenly, absorbing extra shock, and relieving stress.

Thanks to all the benefits already mentioned (like supporting alignment and balance), orthotics can often reduce fatigue, enhance athletes' performance, and lower their risk for injuries.

5. Prevent foot and ankle problems

Many push through foot pain when it begins because it’s mild or only flares up occasionally. But if the pain gets worse or occurs more frequently, seeking early treatment allows us to identify the underlying problem and prescribe orthotics that prevent the problem from progressing.

Call Specialized Foot and Ankle Care today or book an appointment online to discuss whether custom orthotics might be the answer for your foot problem.