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5 reasons you might need CUSTOM orthotic insoles

5/6/2018

4 Comments

 
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Every May and June at the Neepawa Chiropractic and Massage Centre, we have our annual orthotic sale.  Discussions arise with patients if they need these rather expensive custom insoles for their shoes. So, the purpose of today's Blog is to inform you whether you might benefit from custom orthotic insoles. Here are some reasons to why you might need to have your feet evaluated.

1. Pain and Discomfort
Pain is a signal from your body that something is getting overused or is not functioning properly.  Heel pain is one of the most common foot problems and is often from plantar fasciitis, where the arch is dropping and putting extra stress on the main ligament on the bottom of the foot.  Osteoarthritis and joint restrictions are other common foot pains and can be a result of unstable joints.  Metatarsalgia is pain under the pads of the toes and is associated with dropped arches of the foot and improper mechanics. Prolonged use of improper foot wear is a major factor that causes pain in the feet. Pay attention to foot pain!
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2. Heel Cord Positioning
By observing the Achilles tendon at the back of the foot, you can see if the foot is rotating in (pronation) or if it is rotating out (supination).  Ideally, the heel cord is straight up and down. When the foot is flat it is commonly associated with a C-shaped heel cord.​
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3. Calluses and Shoe Wear
A normal functioning foot shouldn't have excessive callusing at the heel, midfoot or on the big toe.  Callusing is a sure sign that there is excessive force being placed on the callused area due to improper foot mechanics. Often, premature wear on your shoes correlates with the area of the callusing on your feet.  If you wear out the outside of your shoes, or if the heel wears out fast, it is time for orthotic insoles. ​
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4. The Wet Test
With wet feet, stand on a piece of newspaper or paper towel and then examine your footprint. A footprint without a c-curve in the arch could signify a pronator, and a prominent c-curve could suggest a supinator.  Often people need orthotics if they have over-pronation. 
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5.  Injury or Surgury
If you have recently suffered an injury or had surgery to your lower extremities, it is important to make sure you are properly supporting your recovery from the ground up.  Often hip and knee surgeries leave the patient with a leg length difference. A misaligned gait can cause issues with your ankles, knees, and hips. Orthotic insoles can have a post on the heel part to equal out your leg lengths. 

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​Not everyone needs orthotics, as most foot pain can be alleviated by good footwear and over-the-counter insoles. However, there are times when a person has a foot type or over-use condition that requires an insole to provide more support.  
Orthotics can help with sore feet and can be a smart preventative measure to help avoid future foot problems.  Orthotics provide optimal correction, prevention of symptoms, and shock absorption.  

​Activity fact: There are 206 bones in the human body and 52 of them are in your feet!
4 Comments
Bethany Birchridge link
6/7/2018 12:14:30 pm

Thanks for mentioning that you can see if your arches re too high or low my seeing what type of footprint you make on paper with wet feet. I've been having a lot of foot pain along the center of my foot and can't seem to find any inserts that work. After reading this article, it seems like custom orthotics could potentially help me out. Do you have tips for finding a great podiatrist in my area?

Reply
Gerty Gift link
7/13/2018 11:30:22 am

Thank you for mentioning that improper foot wear is a huge factor in foot pain. My brother has been complaining about this for years and we haven't been able to figure out what to do. This might be his problem and I think that maybe some good insoles would help him out.

Reply
Logan Mare link
10/9/2018 11:54:02 pm

It got me when you said that I need a customized orthotics if I notice that the foot is rotating because of a problem with the heel cord or the Achilles tendon. I noticed this in a friend, not me, and he said that it is actually a bit painful to walk around when the situation worsened. It was good that I came across this article because I learned what he needs to do to fix the problem with his foot.

Reply
steele honda link
5/1/2019 06:06:33 pm

Thanks for pointing out that if you wear out the outside of your shoes, or if the heel wears out fast, it is time for orthotic insoles. ​I have always have a problem with the heel of my shoes wearing out really fast and it always ends up making my heels hurt before long. I'll have to look into getting orthotics because I think they could help my shoes last longer and they could help my heel pain and those would both be great.

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    Author

    DR. MARK PERRETT
    ​
    Dr. Perrett has been in private practice for 20 years and is involved with the Manitoba Chiropractors Association, the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College Board of Governors, and sits on the executive of World Spine Care. 

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Telephone

Email

204-476-3984
neepawachiropractic@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Our Team
    • Chiropractic
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    • Foot Care
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    • Foot Care
    • Reflexology
    • Orthotics
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