Orthotics: How They Can Help Plantar Fasciitis Due to Fallen Arches

Arch support insoles are devices which are placed inside your footwear

to restore our normal foot function. Many common ailments such as heel

pain, knee pain and low back pain are triggered by flawed foot

biomechanics. Biomechanics is the research of movement and studies the

body's movements during walking, running, and participating in sports.



Why Do We Need Orthotics?

An average of 70

percent of people all over the earth deal with an ailment called

over-pronation, something that can be the culprit for painful

conditions as time passes. Some patients overpronate more than others.

The reason why so many people have flat feet is because of the flat,

hard surfaces we walk on daily. Also, age, weak ankle muscles and body

weight play a role. For this reason, over-pronation is much more

prevalent in adults in their 50’s and above, and also in people with

excess weight.

For lots of individuals, over-pronation doesn't

pose a real problem, specifically for younger people. However, improper

foot function caused by over-pronation will cause a variety of issues

including plantar fasciitis, heel pain, heel spurs, metatarsalgia - even knee pain and low back pain!

Orthotics correct the problem of over-pronation and can help lessen or get rid of many common aches and pains caused by flat feet

and other ailments of the foot. Orthotic insoles are not expensive,

costing between $30 and $40 per pair. Purchasing a pair of orthotic

inserts can be a worthwhile investment in your health, because they can

also help avoid many future biomechanical problems.

What Exactly Are Orthotics?

Orthotic

insoles are products which are put inside the shoes with the goal of

restoring our natural foot function. Many common ailments such as heel

pain, knee pain and low back pain are caused by poor foot biomechanics.

Biomechanics is the science of movement and observes the motion of our

bodies while running, walking, and performing sports. The most common

kind of abnormal foot biomechanics is over-pronation. It involves

falling of the arches and the turning in of the feet and ankles. On

average, 70% of people experience over-pronation to varying degrees.

Orthotic insoles fix over-pronation and realign the foot and ankle

bones to their neutral position, reestablishing the original foot

function. At the same time, this will help ease issues not merely in

the feet, but also in other sections of your body, particularly the

lower body such as the knees, hips and lower back.

What is the Difference Between Orthotics and Regular Insoles?

There is a great difference between average insoles and arch support inserts.

Standard insoles are only designed to give a cushioning effect and

shock absorption. They may feel comfortable at to start, however they

do not focus on any biomechanical issues i.e. they do not relieve

over-pronation. On the other hand, orthotic inserts are operative

devices, created to correct and optimize our foot function. Some

insoles also include an arch support, but often the support is

insufficient, especially if the insoles are made of yielding materials.

So how do orthotic inserts exactly work? To beging with,

orthotic inserts do a lot more than giving support to the arches.

Orthotic insoles bring back the correct position of the feet and ankles

and restore normal foot function. Additionally, orthotic inserts

provide a more even spread of our body weight, keeping pressure off

tender spots (e.g. the heels, the ball of the foot, corns in between

toes and bunions). Additionally, they provide a certain degree of shock

absorption, but this not their chief goal. The main intention of

orthotic inserts is to improve foot function. In many situations, this

will lessen pain in the feet and help stop future troubles and damage.