What are Orthotics and what do they do?
Orthotics (also known as insoles, shoe inserts, or orthoses) are worn inside your shoes, trainers, boots to realign your posture and restore biomechanics balance to your body.
Custom orthotics work in a number of ways, the two most common uses are too correct over pronation or flat feet and or address leg length discrepancies. True leg length discrepancies exist when there is a boney length discrepancy raising one side of the pelvis. Custom orthotics are often prescribed to patients who have been suffering with foot, ankle, knee, hip and or lower back pain.
How will they help me?
1.Improved Body Alignment: Custom orthotic insoles can help align your feet, ankles, and lower limbs, which in turn promotes better overall body alignment. By providing proper support and correcting biomechanical imbalances, they can help reduce stress and strain on the lower back.
2.Enhanced Shock Absorption: Orthotic insoles offer cushioning and shock absorption properties, which can help absorb the impact forces that occur during walking or running. By reducing the impact on your feet and lower body, orthotics can indirectly minimize the jarring forces that can contribute to back pain.
3.Reduced Overpronation or Supination: Excessive pronation (inward rolling of the feet) or supination (outward rolling of the feet) can disrupt the natural alignment of your body and place stress on the lower back. Custom orthotics can be designed to address these specific issues, helping to stabilize the feet and reduce the associated strain on the back.
4.Improved Foot Arch Support: If you have flat feet or high arches, it can impact the way your feet absorb shock and distribute weight. Custom orthotic insoles can provide the necessary arch support, helping to improve foot function and subsequently reducing the strain on the lower back.
Orthotics, unlike store-bought shoe insoles, are custom-made to address individual foot function. Custom orthotics can restore bio-mechanical function, improve efficiency and economy. Help control over pronation or supination, whilst improving posture and relieving stress on other parts of the body.
We have been supplying patients with Custom Orthotics from Telford and Wrekin, Newport, Shropshire, Midlands and much further afield since 2011.
Common Conditions
Over 50% of patients who visit us for custom orthotics are experiencing some type of foot or ankle pain. Patients may have experienced plantar fascia problems, heel pain, achilles tendinopathy. These can be caused from several factors including being flat footed, wearing inappropriate footwear, walking on hard surfaces and many others. These injuries can be treated by self-help exercises, manual therapy, shockwave therapy and or custom orthotics. Our aim is to expertly diagnose the root cause of the issue.
The other 50% of patients we see are those with reoccurring biomechanical problems. We see patients who have had years of treatment but have never gotten to the root cause of the issue. Often frustrated by the reoccurrence of injury despite following advice, these patients often have underlying biomechanical issues that can be addressed with orthotics.
How do I know if I need Orthotics?
Whether you have an acute or chronic injury injury its important to understand what is causing the issue, getting to the root cause of the problem is vital in long term health and well being. If you have been suffering with joint or muscle pain this may be related to your foot posture. Our expert physiotherapists will assess and diagnose you problem and decided whether you require orthotics. This will be discussed with you and your options explained to how any treatment option will benefit you.
How do we assess you?
We complete full biomechanics assessments, looking at posture, foot function and how the muscles and joints around your body are working. Our team are trained to look how you function in standing, walking and the transfer between postures. After we have completed a range of tests we use a 3D structural scanner to make a model of your foot, this allows us to us Computer Aided Design to manipulate the variables you require to build you an orthotic. These images are then tested, amended and create a working model. Your physiotherapist may also give you exercises to help reduce stress in other areas to improve posture and reduce the likelihood of pain and dysfunction long term.
How long do orthotics last?
Our Orthotics are made from the highest quality medical grade materials, this gives them an expected life of over 10 years. Unlike traditional orthotics with covers that need replacing every 1-2 years, our custom orthotics require no maintenance in this time. We only use the best material, giving you the solution to reducing long standing pain.
A great way to stay active and reduce injury risk:
Orthotics are a wonderful solution if you want to be active and move well. We are able to prescribe orthotics for many different uses.Whether you’re looking for a PB for event qualification, continuing your journey in sport or just want to enjoy walking pain free custom orthotics provide you the solution.
Orthotics For Running
In any activity it is important the foot is a stable but flexible base to support and propel the rest of the body. The repetitive nature of running and walking means your instability or over pronation is repeated several thousand times during a run. This can lead to overuse injuries, despite the fact you don’t feel you’ve been over doing it. During running the forces that go through your feet can be up to between 3-5 times your body weight. The forces if distributed incorrectly can cause pain. Our orthotics are designed reduce the structural collapse of the arch and improve mid foot and rear foot alignment. This allows joints to be aligned correctly and become more efficient during running. For runners that stay injury free, this in turn improves performance and fitness.
Orthotics For Golf
During a single round of golf or a full bucket of balls at the range the body goes through a great deal of stress and abnormal forces. These are generated during the swing and place an increased load through the foot, ankle, knee and lumbar spine. Having the correct alignment from the feet, will improve the stability through the trunk and swing phase. Being more stable at the point of contact ensures a lower injury risk and better performance. We have a comprehensive range of options for golfers and work closely with golf coaches and golf pros to ensure the best outcome for your game and health.
Orthotics for Skiing and Snowboarding
Ski boots and snowboard boots are not the most comfortable footwear on the market, yet the pressures and loads through your boots control your movement and direction of travel. Controlling your alignment and posture whilst skiing or snowboarding is vital in reducing the risk of injury and making your holiday and trip more comfortable. We have found over many years of practice, many winter sports enthusiasts complain of lower back, knee and hip pain during and after their holiday. Our insoles will help your balance, weight shift and help provide control.
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For further information, call Shropshire Physiotherapy on 01952 825042 or email on info@shropshirephysiotherapy.co.uk