If you don’t have any pain in your feet, you might assume your shoes are fine. Sometimes this is the case, but other times, your lack of pain hides lower body issues that need to be corrected. Many of them can lead to pain down the line.
Even when you aren’t experiencing pain, podiatrists Ryan Golub, DPM, and Zachary Flynn, DPM, AACFAS, from Arizona Foot Health in Phoenix, Arizona, recommend custom orthotics to treat many silent foot, ankle, and lower body problems. Keep reading to learn the many ways orthotics can improve more than just foot pain.
Orthotics are discreet, small inserts you place into your shoes that help with your foot and lower body alignment and gate. Some orthotics cover the entire insole, while others just get fitted on the heel or upper foot.
Orthotics can either be functional or accommodative. Functional orthotics treat structural foot issues, and accommodative orthotics help with some types of foot pain or discomfort.
Our podiatrists make custom-fitted orthotics based on your personal needs and feet. They then send these over to a lab that creates the orthotics based on our team’s measurements and recommendations.
Orthotics are perhaps best known for treating foot pain and discomfort, but they also have many other uses. These are some of the other reasons our podiatrists might recommend orthotics.
Structural abnormalities in your feet and ankles can cause problems with your gait and movements in your lower body. Even if this isn’t causing you pain or other problems currently, it can eventually lead to issues.
You might benefit from custom orthotics if you have flat feet, high arches, or deformities in your foot, even if you aren’t currently in pain if they’re causing structural issues.
Structural issues in the feet don’t always cause problems right away, but over time they can lead to chronic conditions and injuries. Custom orthotics help prevent you from developing further problems by correcting these issues when you wear them.
Orthotics also provide vital support to your feet and ankles. Orthotics might be essential for you if you have a structural issue that leads to weaker ankles or feet.
You might also benefit from custom orthotics if you have a job or lifestyle that requires you to be on your feet all day. Custom orthotics can make being on your feet more comfortable and make you less likely to develop calluses, corns, and stone bruises.
Problems in your feet and ankles can cause you to develop pain in other areas of your lower body, even if your feet feel fine. Orthotics might resolve pain in places like your legs, hips, and lower back.
When you have foot and ankle problems, you’d be surprised how many of them can be resolved by a simple, comfortable custom orthotic insert. If you’re like to find out more about custom orthotics and how they might benefit you, contact us today.
