Orthotics Inserts ?

Improper foot biomechanics are responsible for many complaints such as plantar fasciitis, heel pain, knee pain, and lower back pain. In the case of orthoics for plantar fasciitis my personal experience is that they are a very small part in the healing of the condition.

An Orthotic is a device that is placed inside shoes to correct and restore the normal or better said proper function of the feet.

Biomechanics is the science of movement that studies motion during walking, running, and sports.

Biomechanics has determined that about seven out ten of us have a tendancy to over pronate. Over pronating is exactly the kind of condition which is served by the use of orthotics. When a person is said to over-pronate that means that there is a tendency to have foot strike that makes your foot arch drop or flatten while the feet and ankles roll inwards.

Orthotics are able to correct over-pronation effect by restoring the feet and ankles to their normal position desired for natural foot functioning. This use of orthotics not only alleviates foot problems but can also gives relief to various other mal-functions of the body caused by the over-pronating.

The choices that an over pronating individual has when attempting to correct the problem are several:

A person may choose to have a custom orthotic made usually after a series of mesasurements of the foot is made and the orthotic device usually a rigid molded plastic is created.

For patients suffering from more serious problems the custom-made orthotic may provide a better solution. The devices are generally only available from a medical specialist in the area of the foot, a Podiatrist. Over-pronation being the most common ailment most people are in need of correcting is something most podiatrist are very familiar with and are ready to address. The device is not inexpensive and one can expect to spend at least 300 dollars for the customized approach and in many cases much more.

When your doctor advises that a custom orthotic is the best solution he will prescribe for that device.

a plaster cast of the patients foot this is usually done by an employee at the Podiatrist’s office who by now has done many many such impressions
the impression is sent a lab where a fabrication of the device the doctor has prescribed is made. This mens the lab will create a mold in combination with what the impression is and the changes the doctor wants. From the mold a orthotic is devised from plastic with varying degrees of rigidity. Once made the orthotic is sent to the prescribing podiatrist
At the doctors office an examination is made of the device. It is given to the patient for wearing inside the shoe. Even though these can be very useful devices many patients find the use cumbersome and do not easily get used to the Orthotic. In a fair number of cases they never feel right and even cause more problem than they fix. This causes the use to be abandoned by the patient.

A second choice of orthic is a heat-mouldable orthotic these are are standard flexible devices made from medium density EVA material. The device can be heated to slightly alter its shape. In many ways they are more user friendly than the custom rigid choice and they are much less expensive at around one hundred to two hundred dollars.

A third and much more economical way to go is a pre-fabricated orthotic. This is usually a soft-medium density shoe insert which is available from pharmacies, on-line specialist websites, and some physiotherapists or chiropractors. People will get used to such Orthotics almost immediately and the cost ranges from twenty to forty dollars per pair. For four out if five people suffering from over-pronation, a pre-fabricated Orthotic will provide sufficient correction. After some wear this types of Orthotic will customise to the wearer’s foot shape as a result of body weight and body heat. Usually pre-fabricated orthotics are made from EVA, a flexible material that supports the foot without hurting the arches.

It should be noted that we have not addressed the one in twenty people who supinate as opposed to pro-nate. Supinating is basically the opposite problem of too much arching and having an outward roll to a foot strike. Typically the orthotic that will help these people is of the custom-made variety.

Finally it should be noted that there is some confusion about the difference between foot pad shoe liners and orthotics. Simply put they are not the same. A foot pad insert can be very useful in absorbing some of the shock to a foot or just by providing a softer bed for foot in the shoe. However these pads provide not therapeutic value except for these comfort factors.