What Conditions Do Orthotics Correct?

Anyone can buy a pair of inexpensive shoe inserts at their local drugstore, but if you want real change in a foot and/or ankle that are causing you pain and discomfort, orthotics are the way to go.

Orthotics are highly customized to your foot (or heel). The team at Go Feet may recommend them when an off-the-shelf option or other treatments have failed to bring your foot and ankle relief. Call the Linwood, or Mays Landing, New Jersey office to learn if you have any of the following conditions to find out if you’d benefit from orthotics.

BACK PAIN

Back pain and other joint pain in your knees and hips can result from poor positioning of the feet. Orthotics can correct arches that roll inward, for example, as well as provide extra padding to take pressure off your bones.

DIABETES

Diabetics are vulnerable to foot problems, including ulcers and pain. This is because of peripheral neuropathy, a condition in which chronic high blood sugar damages the blood vessels supplying the nerves in the extremities. As a result, you lose sensation in your feet. You may not notice excess pressure and stress caused by standard shoes, and you could develop ulcers or sores as a result. Orthotics help alleviate the pressure to keep your feet safe and healthy.

ARTHRITIS

The two most common types of arthritis – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid – can show up as pain and stiffness in your feet. Orthotics can help reposition your feet so that standing and walking are more comfortable.

HIGH ARCHES

People with high arches are more likely to experience knee pain, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis. Orthotics help support your foot, so you don’t roll excessively outward (supinate) and cause referred pain in other areas of your body.

FLAT FEET

Just like high arches can be a problem, so can excessively low arches – or flat feet. Your feet should naturally have an arch, and when it’s missing, you suffer ankle, foot, and back pain. Orthotics can help replicate a natural arch to promote proper foot positioning.

FOOT DEFORMITIES

Bunions form at the joint at the base of your big toe. They occur if some of the bones in the front of your foot and toe shift out of place. These painful bumps cause foot deformities and make many shoes fit irregularly. Orthotics that offer a wide toe box can help reduce pressure on the big toe and slow the development of bunions.

Orthotics are also helpful for people with hammer toes. You may develop this deformity as a result of a bunion, resulting in pain in your other toes and a change in shape on the ball of your foot. Orthotics may help prevent worsening of hammer toes.

PLANTAR FASCIITIS

Inflammation of the plantar fascia – a thick band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes — causes pain and dysfunction called plantar fasciitis. Orthotics can support your heel and foot to reduce pain and potentially correct the pain associated with this condition.

BURSITIS

If the fluid-filled sacs at the back of your heel become inflamed and swell, you suffer pain and discomfort. This condition, called bursitis, is often related to overuse or strain from misalignments in your foot. Orthotics offer heel and arch support to reduce bursitis discomfort.

If you’ve suffered trauma to your foot, you may also benefit from customized orthotics to support your healing. In many cases, orthotics can help you avoid surgery to fix some foot problems.

The skilled podiatrists at Go Feet consider your medical history, your symptoms, and the physical look of your feet and gait. They’ll use screening devices, such as X-rays or MRIs, to identify any areas of arthritis or damage to help them determine your treatment plan, which may include orthotics.

If orthotics are right for you, you’ll go through professional, computerized imaging to create just the right fit for your feet and condition.

Men and women in the Linwood, and Mays Landing areas suffering from foot pain or pain that seems related to your feet, contact Go Feet today. Schedule a consultation online or by phone to learn if orthotics and other treatments can help improve your daily life.