How Orthotics can Help
Orthotics are a specialised design for heel or shoe inserts that a doctor or podiatrist will prescribe to you. They are custom-made for your specific podiatric issue. The prescription of an orthotics is used in treating legs, feet, or back problems. The range from being straps or covers designed to ensure that your feet are cushioned and protected from overuse, or are entire shoes you wear, depending on your diagnosis. Orthotics are a segment of an extensive treatment stage in which different symptoms are addressed, usually around dealing with discomfort or pain in your feet. For example, treating deformities in a foot, helping towards normal function of the ankle or foot, providing support for the joints, or reducing the risk for further harm, are all examples of podiatric symptoms that it can use orthotics for treatment. Unlike their appearance, orthotics are more than just shoe inserts or heel pads available at sport shops or athletic stores. They are customised for your specific symptom, and will usually be recommended if other potential treatments are ineffective or unavailable.
A number of medical conditions are also treatable through orthotics, such as:
- Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis cause discomfort to the foot, and orthotics can help against the positioning issues that it causes.
- A lack of proper cushioning to the back can cause back pain, exacerbated by poor feet positioning, and orthotics can lessen that pain.
- At the base of the big toe, painful bumps called bunions can result in deformities. A wider orthotic toe box helps reduce the pressure on the big toe,
- Fluid sacs in the heels and toes can cause bursitis discomfort and pain. Orthotics with arch and heel support helps reduce that discomfort.
- Diabetes can result in losing sensation of the foot entirely, called diabetic neuropathy. Orthotics help against stress and pressure, and potential foot ulcers can be prevented through this method.
There are many more uses and potential medical treatments that Orthotics can help treat, so don’t hesitate to contact us, so you too may keep your feet – and your mind – happy!
