Find out if simply wearing custom orthotics could improve the health of your feet.
Your feet take quite the beating every day, whether you are a high-heel wearer or you are a runner. Isn’t it time that you gave your feet the support and shock absorption they need to prevent issues from occurring? While wearing the proper footwear will certainly go a long way to keeping your feet healthy, our Olney, Silver Spring, Clinton, and Kensington, MD, podiatrists are here to tell you whether custom orthotics could also help you.
What are custom orthotics?
Chances are pretty good that when walking down the foot care aisle of your local drugstore or grocery store that you’ve found orthotics or shoe inserts. These cushioned foot-shaped devices are designed to go in your shoes and offer support and comfort for your feet, particularly when you are standing or moving around.
Of course, over-the-counter orthotics offer a one-size-fits-most approach, and because everyone’s biomechanics and foot structures are different sometimes the OTC orthotic can actually do more harm than good. This is why you should turn to our Kensington, MD, foot doctors, who can create a customized shoe insert to fit your specific needs.
What are the different kinds of orthotics?
Orthotics can be either functional or accommodative. As you may be able to tell by the name, functional orthotics are often used to improve the function and mechanics of your feet, while accommodative orthotics are used to offer more cushioning and support for the feet and can be a great option for someone with painful foot conditions (e.g. arthritis; diabetes) that need a little extra TLC.
Orthotics are also made from different kinds of materials, all of which offer their own unique benefits based on the wearer’s needs. Orthotics may be soft, semi-rigid or rigid.
Who can benefit from wearing orthotics?
Most people do not have perfect biomechanics in their feet, which means that you may be prone to injuries or other foot issues down the road. To prevent problems from happening, custom orthotics can provide cushioning, support, stabilization and shock absorption while also redistributing weight more evenly throughout the feet to improve the way your feet function. You may want to consider orthotics if:
- You are an athlete
- You deal with foot, leg or back pain
- You have fallen arches
- You have diabetes
- You have arthritis in your feet
- You have high or low arches
- You have or are prone to developing plantar fasciitis
- You have a neuroma
If you are considering the benefits of custom orthotics then it’s time to turn to our foot care experts at Family Foot and Ankle Associates of Maryland in Olney, Silver Spring, Clinton, and Kensington, MD.