Are your feet or ankles painful? Foot pain can radiate upwards and cause knee, hip, and/or back pain. You may have an abnormal walking gait that has spiraled into any number of foot ailments that also affect other bones and joints.
You may benefit from prescription custom orthotics. Our board-certified podiatrists with Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey can help heal your foot and end your foot problems.
You may have heard the term orthotics and know it’s associated with your feet. Prescription custom orthotics are special shoe inserts molded precisely to correct your foot problems caused by faulty biomechanics or genetics.
For example, if you tend to roll your feet inward too much when you walk (overpronation) or roll your feet outwards (underpronation), your custom orthotics are made to correct your abnormal gait.
Your podiatrist explains whether rigid orthotics or semi-rigid orthotics are best for your foot problems. Rigid orthotics are made of plastic or carbon fibers and are geared to those who need more stability and motion control. Semi-rigid orthotics provide more cushion and are helpful to you if you’re diabetic or have arthritic feet.
Yes. Your doctor prescribes custom orthotics for your unique foot problems. Shoe inserts from a drug store are made for a general population and may not fit the specifications called for in your situation.
Shoe inserts from a drug store are cheaper, but they won’t last as long as custom orthotics.
They may be a complete waste of money if they don’t help ease your foot pain. Only custom orthotics are specially designed to correct your specific foot and ankle problems.
Custom orthotics treat a wide variety of foot and ankle conditions, including the following:
Perhaps you’ve stopped playing sports or engaging in physical activities that you enjoy because of your foot or ankle pain. Custom orthotics can help get you moving again by stabilizing your ankles and correcting your biomechanical or genetic foot issue. If foot pain has changed your posture, orthotics may improve your back, knee, or hip pain.
Most people wear custom orthotics for at least a couple of years. It helps to wear them every day to gain the maximum benefit. You might stop wearing them for a period of time and then decide you need them again, so don’t throw them away.
Prescription custom orthotics help resolve foot and ankle pain for many patients. Call Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey if your foot or ankle pain prevents you from doing things you like to do.
