As you know, your feet work hard and act as shock absorbers for the entire body. It’s no wonder that if you’re having foot issues, your whole body can have problems as a result.
So, where does pain in your feet come from?
Pain can stem from various areas such as structural abnormalities, imbalances, deformities, and misalignments. When any of these occur, your body’s shock absorbers stop functioning properly, which results in foot pain conditions and issues elsewhere in your body. Therefore, it is so important to take care of your feet and get to know foot orthotics. You’ll quickly see why they are a simple, cost-effective solution for addressing current issues and pain.
What is Orthotics?
Orthotics are devices you can insert into your shoes to help correct functioning. A custom orthotic can address misalignments, biomechanical disorders, and imbalances by aligning ligaments and bones in your feet and keeping everything in the proper position. They can help your body return to normal functioning and better overall health.
Custom Foot Orthotics v. Mass Manufactured Orthotics
You can, of course, buy a pair of insoles at your local drugstore or even at the grocery store. These mass manufactured insoles can temporarily alleviate your foot issues, but they are not nearly as effective in remedying the underlying condition, particularly in the long run.
Orthotics from your local drugstore is a good solution for making poor quality shoes feel more comfortable, but they cannot realign the positioning of your feet in such a way that the biomechanics of your feet are actually improved.
Store bought orthotics are a one size fits all solution. The reality is that everyone’s feet are different. Custom orthotics do the best job of fully addressing individual needs. Here at PTI Orthotics, we offer over 30 different orthotics and systems, as well as various casting and fabrication methods. We provide orthotics based on the needs of each individual patient.
Do You Need Foot Orthotics?
If you are not sure that you need foot orthotics or not sure if your feet are functioning correctly, here are some symptoms that indicate that custom orthotics can help you:
- Your toes point excessively inward or outward
- Crooked toes or hammer toes
- Lower back pain
- Bunions, calluses, or corns
- General foot pain
- Heel pain, plantar fasciitis
Orthotics can also greatly help common problems like excessive pronation and supination. Pronation occurs when the feet flatten and the ankle tips inward when your foot hits the ground. Supination is just the opposite. When your foot lands, your ankle tips outward and provides leverage to support your body weight. Pronation and supination are natural but excessive tipping of your ankles in either direction can be hard on your feet.
And that’s just the start when it comes to foot pain conditions that can be addressed with a quality, custom orthotic. If you need relief from foot, knee, hip, even systemic problems, get to know foot orthotics by contacting us at PTI Orthotics in Boulder and Longmont. Let us help you get back to a healthier, more active lifestyle.