You don’t think much about your feet until they’re hurt. Overuse, injury, or conditions that cause inflammation touching on tendons, ligaments, or bones can cause foot pain. Injuries to nerves on the feet might result in intense tingling, numbness, or burning pain.
Custom foot orthotics are an effective remedy for different types of foot pain. In this article, we’ll look at the different types of foot pain custom foot orthotic help with.
What are Custom Foot Orthotics?
Custom orthotics are heel or shoe inserts specifically made for your foot or feet following a doctor’s prescription. The prescription may come as a remedy to help you to rehabilitate your feet, ankle, or even back problems.
These medical devices are custom-made to fix particular musculoskeletal disfigurements of the feet. A custom-made plastic core ensures your body weight and pressure are equally distributed during activities such as walking or running.
Custom orthotics are designed to fit your posture and bodyweight. Others may be structured to enhance tasks such as rollerblade-related activities. Orthotics will help you tremendously if you have muscle imbalances, joint issues, plantar fasciitis, or even bunions.
If not adopted or used, the pain and discomfort in your foot, knee, hip, or back may become prevalent and even worsen with time to cause semi-permanent damage.
The removable shoe inserts’ main objective is to provide better support, and stability to the feet and ankles. They come in different types depending on the level of support required and the severity of the problem affecting your foot, knee, or even ankle.
Orthotics for the feet are categorised into 3:
· Some specifically attempt to provide optimal foot function.
· Those that are protective, and
· Those that combine the two – function and protection.
Rigid orthotics
These are specifically designed to control the movement of the main joints that lie directly below the ankle. They are long and do not change shape and are almost unbreakable. In general, they are:
· Made from carbon fibre material or plastic
· Structured for joint control
· Stretched across the sole of the heel to the toe
Semi-rigid orthotics
These provide dynamic balance while walking and during sporting activities. The orthotics aid joints, tendons, and muscles they support. Characteristics include:
· Rigid material reinforces softer layers of material.
· Designed for the specific sport of the athlete.
· Structured for dynamic balance
Soft orthotics
These mainly act as shock absorbers as they tend to reduce pressure off sore spots as well as increase balance. Characteristics include:
· Designed for pressure release, shock absorber, and balance enhancing.
· Require extra space in shoes
· Extend from heel to toes.
Foot Pain Types Custom Foot Orthotics Treat
Custom-based orthotics are structured according to the patient’s prescription by the physician to treat or rehabilitate various problems. Here are some of the most common foot pain types custom foot orthotics treat;
Plantar Fasciitis
The plantar fascia is an elongated band of tissue beginning from your heel and extending across the bottom of your foot. Any form of trauma to this band results in soreness, swelling, and pain at the bottom of your foot or the heel.
Plantar fasciitis is even more pronounced with age and very common among athletes whose feet take on immense pressure.
Bunions
A bunion is a condition that occurs when the big toe is drawn back inside due to pressure causing pressure on the lower toe joint. With time, the joint suffers displacement and disfigurement leading to a painful swelling on the outside foot.
Extreme cases result in the transfer of pressure and pain to the other toes. People prone to bunions are especially those who wear high heels and also those with unique toe types.
Heel Spurs
These are bony growths that appear on the edge of the heel. They cause considerable pain and trauma even inflammation when they push against tendons and soft tissues.
Neuromas
Benign nerve growths are a result of nerve irritation and inflammation. This causes a lot of pain and additionally, it can result in tingling and numbness.
Tendinitis
Your feet have numerous tendons performing different roles. Any of these is subject to inflammation. Trauma upon the posterior tendon is one of the most common types of tendinitis. This tendon runs from the ankle to the middle of your foot. This provides support for your arc.
Strenuous activities and extended-standing periods can affect this tendon gravely and impact your arc.
Solving Your Foot Pain Problems with Custom Foot Orthotics
Many people of all ages are constrained by foot pain which interferes with their capacity to work, walk, exercise, etc.
Custom orthotics provide a comfortable and long-lasting solution to during these activities and serve as a remedy to various types of foot pain.