(Newswire.net — August 12, 2021) —
Orthotics is another name for insoles or shoe inserts and most of us have used them at one point or another in our lives. They’re designed to be worn inside footwear in order to better support the foot’s natural structure. But, as comfortable as they may be, are they really any good for us? And if so, how do we know when we should use them?
There are only a small minority of people (approximately 10%) in the world that have feet not requiring any special care to keep them in shape once the person’s body weight had been applied. Feet can be categorised into the following:
- Pronated Feet: This is a very common foot problem involving a falling arch. It’s often referred to as ‘flat foot’. Sometimes the reason why flat foot occurs is because the leg is pointed to the inside, resulting in the foot pointing inwards, thus collapsing the arch. Or, the heel itself could loll inwards, due to some muscles being too tight and so pulling the foot inwards. Another reason is that some nerves may not be functioning properly, causing some muscles to be weaker than others. Either way, these deformities lead to mis-alignment of the foot, ankle, knee, hip, pelvis and even the back.
To see whether you have pronated feet perform this quick check: Raise your foot and peek underneath to see if you have an arch. Provided there is, continue with this check. If not, move on to the next section entitled Flat Feet. Next, place your foot on the ground and slowly transfer all your weight onto it. Is your foot now flat or flatter or is the arch still there? If the arch is still there and just as prominent as it was at the start, it’s unlikely you have pronated feet. If the arch has flattened, then you, like around 70% of the world, do have pronated feet.
- Flat Feet: If on your pronated feet check you lifted your foot to find no arch at all, you can safely say you have flat foot.
- Supinated Feet: If you find that your shoes are constantly worn on the outside edge of the sole, then you may have supinated feet. Also, if your heel leans more to the outside, chances are you’re a supinator.
- High Arch: The best place to check if you have a high arch is in the sand or snow. Take a few steps. If you can see the whole of your footprint, then it’s doubtful you have a high arch. If the middle part of the footprint is missing, it’s a good indication that you have a high arch.
- Neutral or Normal Foot: When your foot looks the same up as it does down and the wearing pattern on your shoe starts from the middle outside of your heel and slowly moves to the middle of the foot, chances are you have a neutral or normal foot.
Once you know what type of foot you have, you can then work out what extra support (if any) you need for your feet. Generally, if there is no pain, there’s no need for orthotics. If you are experiencing pain, then you need to locate where it is. If the pain is below the waist, orthotics may help. If it is above, then probably not. If the pain is so bad that it wakes you in the night, you should consult a doctor. However, orthotics could help those experiencing pain in the daytime. For those with pronated or supinated feet, custom orthotics may help restore the misalignment. If you have a flat foot, you have nothing to worry about and need no extra support. Custom orthotics could also help those with high arch feet.
What to Look for in Good Shoes: There’s not much point in buying orthotics and putting them in bad shoes. When buying a new pair of shoes there are a few things you can look for to lessen the chance of further injury.
- Torsion stiffness: The shoe should be difficult to deform in torsion.
- Flexible forefoot.
- Sturdy heel cup.
- Anatomically correct bending point.
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