Orthotics

Probably nothing in the care of the foot has advanced more or become more well known in the last 5-10 years as has the use of orthotics! As the sciences of biomechanics and kinesiology have become more sophisticated, we have come to realize their importance in the overall function of the foot. We have also come to better understand what abnormal biomechanics does to the body. We have come to realize that poor biomechanics is the cause of much of the pain that people suffer in the lower extremities. Symptoms such as chronic arch and heel pain, leg cramps, shin splints, knee pain, hip pain and some lower back symptoms are often caused by abnormal biomechanics. When properly evaluated and corrected with an orthotic, people are often surprised at how many of these symptoms that they have suffered with for years simply disappear!

How does an orthotic work?

The best way to describe the function of an orthotic is to use the analogy of a pair of eye glasses. When people have poor vision for what ever reason, the doctor can prescribe a pair of glasses that allows the image that you are seeing to better focus on the retina, thus your vision clears and eye fatigue goes away. The eye glasses have not changed your eye in any way, only the way that your eye functions.
When there is a biomechanical problem with the foot that causes it to function abnormally, the foot will have to "compensate" for this problem by changing the way that it works. This often causes joints to be over stressed, ligaments to be stretched and muscles to have to work harder. This then creates what we call an "overuse syndrome". This then causes pain in the joints and the ligaments and tendons and often causes muscle cramping.

Like your glasses, all that the orthotic does is to do the compensating for your foot so that it does not have to do it. Orthotics do not change your foot in any way, but in many instances the use of an orthotic will prevent or slow the development of deformities such as hammertoes and bunions.

One of the great improvements that has occurred with orthotics over the past several years is the use of space age materials in their manufacture. No longer are the orthotics made of cork and leather which was so bulky that they couldn't be worn in hardly any shoes. Today; composites such as graphite are used and thus the orthotics are very thin and lightweight and can be worn in almost all shoes, including heels.

The other good news about orthotics is that as this science has proven itself and the value of orthotic use has become more recognized, more and more insurance companies are paying all or a portion of the cost of the orthotic.