What Can Custom Orthotics Do for You (And Your Feet)?

When was the last time you actually thought about the wellbeing of your feet and ankles?

Chances are it has been a while – if ever!

The reality is, on a typical day, most of us don’t really give much attention to these hardworking appendages. That is, of course, until they start showing signs that something might be wrong! Only then do we realize that painful feet can actually keep us from doing the things we love most, from participating in favorite sports to wearing a favorite pair of kicks.

Though foot pain is quite common, it doesn’t mean you should ignore painful symptoms or hope that they will go away on their own given time. When you wait to seek appropriate medical treatment, you risk making the situation worse, and what could have been fixed with simple treatment measures may end up requiring more invasive methods instead – including surgery.

And you don’t want that, right?

So if your feet are in pain, don’t hesitate to come visit our Bloomington office right away. When you address your symptoms at an early stage, there is a good chance that simple conservative treatment methods will be able to find you the relief you need. One such treatment that tends to work well with most of our patients is the use of custom orthotics.

But first, let’s get to the root cause of the problem.

Most Common Foot Problems

Did you know that the cumulative force on a typical pair of feet add up to several hundred tons—in just a single day? And that’s just an average – those of you who are more active can easily exceed this amount!

With all this wear and tear, the possibility of developing painful foot conditions is almost inevitable (if, of course, you don’t take the right steps, but more on that in a bit).

Some common problems you may develop in your feet and ankles include:

• Plantar fasciitis. An inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of connective tissues that runs along the bottom of the foot from the heel to the toes.
• Flat feet. A flattening, or lack, of the arches on the inside of the foot, which allows the entire sole to touch the floor when standing.
• Bunions. A shifting of the big toe towards its neighboring, smaller toes, which also causes a visible bump on the side of the big toe joint.
• A downward bending of the smaller toes caused by weakened muscles that are unable to keep toes in proper position.
• Diabetic foot problems. These issues can range all the way from corns and calluses to ulcers and even amputation.
• Achilles tendinitis. An injury that occurs due to overuse, causing the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel to become inflamed.

As you can see, there’s a lot of variety on this list—and there’s a lot we left off, too. But the one common factor that unites them all is the fact that custom orthotics can be an extremely beneficial step on the path to finding the relief you need.

But How Can Custom Orthotics Help You?

Well, these versatile devices can optimize the overall function of your feet, ankles, and even knees, as well as help alleviate pain. And unlike over-the-counter shoe inserts which you can find at a local pharmacy or grocery store, custom orthotics are individually tailored to comfortably fit and support the unique structure of your feet.

Not convinced? Here are some good reasons why you should consider the use of custom orthotics:

• Orthotics can help relieve foot pain. We already mentioned this, but custom orthotics go beyond merely cushioning your feet from the stress of hard pavement and floors during the 10,000 or so steps you take each day.
• Orthotics can help heal injuries. Once your feet are supported by custom orthotics, injuries like plantar fasciitis and tendinitis that cause your foot pain will begin to heal. By aligning your feet into a healthy position, overstretched tendons and ligaments finally get a break from the constant pressure and can start to repair themselves.
• Orthotics can help relieve back and hip pain. You may think it’s your back that’s hurting, but it’s really the misalignment of your spine caused by the abnormal gait you’ve developed to avoid foot pain. Orthotics can straighten your hips and help you develop better posture.
• Orthotics can help resolve leg asymmetry. Did you know that 90 percent of men, women, and children have one leg that’s slightly longer than the other? Though most of the time this doesn’t affect functioning at all, if the difference is significant enough, it may throw your hips and back out of alignment, interfere with a normal gait, and cause pain in your hips, legs, feet, or back.
• Orthotics can help improve athletic performance. Custom orthotics reduce injuries like runner’s knee, Achilles tendonitis, and twisted ankles by keeping your feet in proper alignment. Aligned feet reduce stress on supporting tissues, such as ligaments and tendons, allowing them to stay strong and flexible.

Often, custom orthotics are able to prevent patients from having to undergo surgery to repair painful foot and ankle conditions, too. That alone is a good reason to consider wearing orthotics, don’t you think?

Get Your Pair of Custom Orthotics at Heartland Foot & Ankle Associates

So if you are ready to kick foot pain to the curb and get back to enjoying your favorite activities, then come visit our expert podiatrists at Heartland Foot & Ankle Associates today! We will perform a thorough evaluation of your feet and ankles in order to accurately diagnose your condition and determine if custom orthotics are the best solution for your foot, ankle, knee, hip, or back pain.

Just give our Bloomington, IL office a call today at (309) 661-9975 to schedule your appointment, or simply fill out our handy request form online to have one of our trained staff members reach out to you.