The following article was written by Dr. Roger Berton...
Orthotics...
Orthotics are biomechanical medical appliances that
are custom made insoles used to correct specific foot imbalances
and weight distribution. Custom orthotics fit into your shoes and
are used to restore the normal function and alignment of your feet
and body by balancing the pressure and forces across the feet.
The
feet have a direct impact on the rest of your body. Problems in
your feet can affect other joints higher up the in the body such
as in the knees, hips and back. The cause of pain can start from
the ground up causing a chain reaction on the rest of your body.
If there is a biomechanical problem with your feet,
or pain that causes a small change in the way you walk, this will
eventually put abnormal forces and strain on joints throughout the
feet and ankle.
It could also consequently have a negative effect
on the knees, hips and back. This can possibly leading to more serious
problems such as muscle pain, joint pain, nerve pain, inflammation
and arthritis.
Orthotics are generally custom molded with a foam
or plaster cast which provides a 3-D image of your foot. A copolymer
2 to 3.5 mm plastic is formed from this cast.
Additional posting, covers and modifications are then added for
a patient’s specific symptoms and needs.
Typically an orthotics intrinsic memory will last
approximately 2 years. Many types of orthotics are designed according
to a person’s needs. A diabetic needs more cushion as opposed
to the athlete or skier who wears sports specific shoes/boots. Although
in certain cases orthotics are only as effective as the shoes you
wear them in.
Gait Scans and pressure plates take a 2D and/or a
3D visual representations of the pressure under your foot. This
may assist practitioners in determining foot function and help them
to see where you have too much or too little pressure. This information
can be useful in determining if your pain is foot related, if you
are a good candidate for orthotics and what specific product modifications
may be needed.
Who is a possible candidate for orthotics?
A diabetic who may eventually walk improperly due
to the degeneration of nerves in his/her feet would greatly benefit
from orthotics. As would the athlete who put excess miles and pressure
on their feet and the couch potato whose sedentary lifestyle causes
them to become overweight and increases the stress on their feet.
The factory worker or bank teller who stands on hard surfaces, putting
pressure on the heels and balls of their feet all day would be excellent
candidates. Even a young child whose problems need to be corrected
before the bones fuse may see beneficial results.
General conditions that may be treated with orthotics
include: bunions; abnormal callus formation; foot, arch and heel
pain; knee and leg pain and hip or back pain which may be caused
by poor mechanics and weight distribution in the feet.
Do you complain about any of the following ailments:
• My feet are sore on a regular basis.
• I suffer from heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, shin splints,
achilles tendonitis and patella femoral -
syndrome/knee pain.
• Standing, walking or running gives me joint pain (ankles,
knees, hip or back).
• I have visual foot related problems (bunions, fallen arches,
corns, calluses, etc).
• I have knock-knees or bow-legs
• My feet are flat, roll in and I wear out the inside of my
shoes. (This is known as the sever pronation)
• My feet and ankles roll outward
If you suffer from any of these symptoms then you
should consider orthotics as part of your treatment plan as orthotics
can structurally help these ailments.
Orthotics are known to perform small miracles for
some but one cannot always predict that they will be the end all,
cure all of your pain. I recommend that you think of them as prophylactic
devices. They will stop your symptoms from getting worse or possibly
alleviate them although different treatment measures or therapy
may be required to fix the problem.
The average person take 8000 to 10,000 steps per day
and walks 100,000 miles in their lifetime. Women have 4 times as
many problems as men that are mainly due to poor choice of shoes.
As one can see, vanity hurts. Given the amount of damage poor fitting
shoes with improper support can do to ones foot this allows you
to inevitably see the benefits of a custom orthotic tailored to
your needs.
Article by Roger Berton DC
Are Orthotics the right
solution for you?
Contact A Healthy Way Today
to find out
or read more about orthotics here.
519 979 2663
Contact
via E-mail: drrogerb@yahoo.ca
