Orthotics also known as insoles, orthoses or shoe inserts, are designed to correct foot posture and abnormal or irregular walking patterns.

Foot orthotics are not just “arch supports,” although this term is often used to describe them. They perform functions that make your everyday activities more comfortable and efficient, by altering the angles at which the feet strike the ground when standing, walking, jogging, running and jumping.

What Are Orthotics?

Orthotics are shaped insoles placed inside shoes with the purpose of restoring natural foot movement. This is necessary when the natural balance of our lower body has been disrupted by, for instance, over-pronation.

Many common complaints such as heel pain, knee pain and lower back pain can be caused by poor foot mechanics.

Why Should I See a Chiropractor For Orthotics?

Chiropractors treat the whole body and can determine how the use of orthotics can complement our treatment for, for example, a back, hip, knee or ankle problem including short-leg deficiency syndrome.

We also use specific mobilization and manipulation techniques to the feet to ensure that areas of restricted movement are released, which will have an effect on how your feet are functioning and will help your problem resolve better.

It doesn’t make sense to just put an orthotic in a shoe without having regard for a short-leg discrepancy correction using chiropractic manipulation to clear the restrictions in your foot and give specific exercises to strengthen the supportive musculature.

For example, if you came to us complaining of back pain, we would not just give you a back support belt and leave you to it. We would combine manipulation and exercise in order to try and restore you back to full and normal function and give you an exercise program to strengthen the supportive core musculature first, before prescribing any back support or foot orthotics.

We apply the same principle to all muscle and joint problems, which works really well.

So why use orthotics at all?

Why not just use manipulation and exercise? Well, we do. When it is appropriate. Not all people need orthotics. But if the ligaments and muscles are not strong enough to support the foot to prevent further injury when you are weight bearing, then you may require a support for the foot.

Foot Pain

In the same way, we would give you a back support belt if your back is so unstable that you regularly injure it doing basic activities, or to use when you do things that are more demanding for your back.

Custom orthotics are inserts that are specially moulded to your feet. The best orthotic is one designed around your feet and how they move utilizing computerized gait analysis. This is done in our clinic with the treating chiropractor who can customise your orthotics.

How Exactly Do Orthotics Work?

First of all, orthotics do a lot more than support the arches of the feet. Orthotics realign the feet and ankles and restore deficient foot function. In addition, orthotics enable a more even weight distribution, taking pressure off sore spots at the heels, balls of the feet, between toes, at bunions and soles of the feet. They also provide a degree of shock absorption, but this is not their main purpose. The main purpose of an orthotic insole is to improve foot function (bi-pedal stability), in many cases reducing pain and preventing problems and injuries in the future.

Orthotics can offer you pain relief!

If you suffer from foot and leg problems such as flat feet, bunions, heel, shin or leg pain you can gain better quality of life and if you are doing sports, it is likely to help you improve your performance.

Whether you're an athlete, spend your days on your feet or just want to be more active, orthotics can make you enjoy life more!

Orthotics are not just used for foot and ankle pain. They are also used to balance leg length,and, help you if you have knee, hip and back pain. By aligning the foot correctly, they help to distribute the forces more evenly through the foot, ankle, knee, hip and back.

However, you don’t have to be in pain before considering orthotics. It can be a measure to help you prevent pain too. If you try our orthotics you will be amazed how comfortable they are and how comfortable your feet will be after a long day on your feet.

Are orthotics for me?

Biomechanical problems affecting the feet can increase stresses within the foot structures and the surrounding soft tissues, creating localized pain in the feet and ankles as well as problems in the lower limbs, knees, hips and back.

Orthotics allow joints to be aligned correctly and promote efficient transmission of the forces of standing, walking, jogging, running and jumping.

And as a result, a foot orthotic therefore helps to:

• Reduce pain
• Provide support
• Prevent or halt the development of foot deformity
• Provide better positioning
• Relieve pressure on a certain area of the foot
• Improve the overall biomechanical function of the foot
• Improve pelvic alignment
• Reduce lower limb torsion and stress on the knees