Getting To Know About Foot Orthotics

Almost everyone has suffered from foot pain at some point in his or her life. Research showed that most employees had missed a day of work because of foot problems. Considering that the feet are the major weight-bearing part of the body, it's little wonder we run into problems. Foot pain is not normal and should not be ignored. The presence of foot problems can affect the proper functioning of other parts of the body, including the hip, knee and back.

These are the common foot problems:

Achilles Tendonitis - Achilles tendon injuries can be quite debilitating. It is usually associated with swelling and pain upon tensioning or squeezing of the achilles tendon at the back of the ankle.

Aching Feet - Foot problems which cause aching feet can also cause problems in your knees, your hips, your back - even your neck.

Ankle Pain - Ankle pain due to sprains will usually effect most of us at some stage throughout our lives, especially if you play sports which involve sudden changes in direction i.e. tennis, basketball, football, etc.

Athletes foot- Athletes Foot is a skin infection which often manifests itself between the fourth and fifth toes of the feet.

Broken Toe - The first signs of a broken toe will be pain and a bruised, discolored toe may occur shortly after the initial trauma. Most toe fractures are the result of direct trauma of some kind.

Bunions- A bunion is a prominance or bony mal-alignment of the first and/or fifth toe joints. Heel Pain & Heel Spurs- These are common heel pain symptoms. Heel spurs beneath the heel are often associated with plantar fasciitis (ligament inflammation).

Top of Foot Pain- One of the most common causes of top of foot pain is inflamed extensor tendons on top of the foot due to irritation from shoes or laces which have been tied too firmly.

A Word Of Warning!

Foot problems, leg pain and back pain are not normal and should never be ignored. This is your body's way of communicating that something is wrong and needs to be addressed. All too often people ignore the signs thinking it will just go away. As a general rule... if pain in the feet or the legs hasn't resolved by itself within a few days, then it should be investigated by a trained professional.

Foot problems are often treated with shoe inserts called orthotics. Custom-made orthotics are medical devices inserted into the shoe to correct an abnormal or irregular walking pattern. They are prescribed to reduce pain, to provide support, to prevent foot deformity or keep it from getting worse, to provide better positioning, to relieve pressure on a certain area of the foot, and to improve the overall biomechanical function of the foot and lower extremity. The term "orthotic" can refer to almost any device which is worn inside a shoe. Items called orthotics are available from physicians and other medical professionals, in shoe stores, in infomercials, retail stores and even at trade shows. There are three very different types of orthotics custom, customized and off-the-shelf. The educated consumer should be aware of each type.

Custom functional foot orthotics are prescription medical devices made from non-weight bearing molds of your feet. They are designed to control alignment and function of the foot in order to treat or prevent injury-causing force on bones, joints, tendons and ligaments.

Customized Orthotics - These devices can be difficult to distinguish from custom foot orthotics and, unfortunately, are sometimes marketed as authentic custom foot orthotics.

Off-the-shelf orthotics (often called arch supports) are usually found in retail stores - including sport stores, shoe stores, online stores and pharmacies. They are non-custom devices designed to provide gentle support to the arch of the foot and help spread weight more evenly along the bottom of the foot.

Foot Orthotics help many people who suffer due to foot pain or weight problems. Orthotics make it easier for individuals who want to improve their health by exercising, but often find it too difficult on their feet. Our foot orthotics may be the solution.