Have you found yourself in foot pain? Maybe an aching feeling, maybe you’re getting pins and needles, and maybe you find yourself taking your shoes off halfway through the day just to give your feet a break. You’re not alone – 75% of Canadians will experience foot health problems of varying degrees of severity at one time or another in their lives. About 19% of the Canadian population has an average of 1.4 foot problems each year.
However, most people living with foot pain either do not need to, or can live with significantly decreased foot pain, thanks to custom-made foot orthotics. Custom-made foot orthotics (as opposed to ready-made, off-the-shelf foot orthotics (e.g., Dr. Scholl’s)), are tailored to your feet after a proper medical history, an assessment, and a scan/cast of your feet is taken. From then, an expert in foot health will construct your custom foot orthotics and assess how they fit on you.
How do I get orthotics for my foot pain?
The first step is to make sure that you talk to your doctor about the problem you are having. Your doctor will know who in your area is qualified to dispense foot orthotics. Pedorthists, Podiatrists and Orthotists are the three main professions that provide these devices.
Orthotics have many shapes and sizes, and the provider can tell you which type will be most useful for your condition. An orthotic for a dress shoe may be nothing like one made for running shoes. The analogy I use is that they are much like eyeglasses, except you must walk on them. Like glasses, orthotics must be worn to provide correction.
Many people I talk with have heard conflicting stories of good or bad experiences with these devices. In the end, you must feel comfortable with the person who is evaluating and measuring you for the foot orthotics. They should take a thorough history and ask about injuries and illnesses you may have suffered and have a bearing on your postural health. They should manipulate your feet to judge mobility, strength, flexibility, and function.
Measurements that the clinician takes will be used to fabricate the support, and they will tell you, during this process, what to expect and how to use the device.
Can custom orthotics reduce my foot pain?
The answer is yes, and this is one of the most common questions we get when we have patients coming to us seeking relief. Custom foot orthotics hold the wearer’s feet in the best mechanical position for the transmission of forces and provide optimum bone and joint alignment. Soft tissue and repetitive stress conditions such as plantar fasciitis (heel pain) and metatarsalgia (forefoot pain) respond well to orthotics but often take some time to resolve.
Custom foot orthotics can prevent repetitive strain injuries and protect the feet from surfaces such as concrete and steel, but once the damage is done, there may be a recovery process involved to allow the feet to heal properly. Recovery may require other therapeutic interventions such as physiotherapy, exercise, or advice on how to perform your normal activities in a less stressful manner.
Asymmetry is the most common cause of muscle imbalance, acquired disability and mechanical pain. You may have come by these imbalances through inheritance (my mother had bunions, and so did my grandmother) or from injuries (motor vehicle accidents, falls on ice, ankle fractures) or chronic health diseases (diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis).
Asymmetries in the feet is very common and can be easily treated using custom foot orthotics. A surprising amount of patients we see fail to realize that an injury to one foot can severely affect the opposite foot, albeit uninjured. If we have foot pain or an injury in one foot, the other foot now needs to work much harder to compensate, bear the load of your body, and move your body in a pain-free way. This can also translate vertically through knee pain, hip pain, and even back pain.
If you experience acute, episodic, or chronic postural pain, do not wait too long. Often, conditions that are easily resolved can drag on for months if not treated quickly. The sooner you do something about it, the quicker you can get back to your regular activities.
More questions than answers? You can get more information on orthotics, footwear and pedorthic services at Thera-Ped Foot and Ankle Clinic by calling (506) 632-9397, or book an appointment today with our Canadian Certified Pedorthists.