Some people suffer from biomechanical conditions that affect how they walk, run, or do normal daily activities. If you have gait and foot problems, orthotics can correct the conditions. Orthotics are devices designed to accommodate biomechanical shortcomings, improving gait and posture. Properly designed orthotics also enhance comfort by absorbing shock and improving balance. However, most people do not know that orthotics can be custom-made, and podiatrists often recommend personalisation. People are unique, and one patient's orthotics might not help another person. This article highlights some facts about custom foot orthotics.
For Everybody, Not Just Athletes — There is a common misconception that only professional athletes require customised orthotics. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Podiatrists can prescribe customised orthotics to anyone. Sure, personalised orthotics allow athletes to train and perform better, but podiatrists use the same concept when dealing with non-athletes. For instance, if you have sores on your feet, you need orthotics to take the pressure off the sores. Therefore, your orthotics will be customised from a relatively soft material. On the other hand, orthotics for patients suffering from chronic ankle pain must be made from a more stable material. The bottom line is that custom orthotics address individual foot problems, whether you are an athlete or not.
Prescribed by Podiatrist — Today, podiatrists do more than help patients manage foot pain. They understand the biomechanical functioning of the human foot, allowing them to assess patients' feet and legs before prescribing suitable orthotics designed to correct the conditions. Podiatrists can prescribe customised orthotics for many conditions. You can rest assured that you will walk out with personalised orthotics whenever you visit a podiatrist. This is beneficial to patients because it eliminates the need to see several specialists just to get customised foot orthotics.
Orthotics are Multifunctional — It is easy to think that insoles and arch supports fall under the foot orthotics category. However, it is not the case, because the shoe insoles and arch supports that are sold in pharmaceuticals or shoe stores perform onlyone function, which is pressure redistribution under the foot. On the other hand, customised foot orthotics are multifunctional. Other than distributing pressure evenly across the foot's cross-section, they offload weight in certain places, stabilise and improve foot function and reduce the severity of chronic back, knee and ankle pain. The combined benefits make foot orthotics a better option than insoles for someone suffering from foot problems.
