Your feet bear the brunt of your weight all day, every day. This can lead to painful foot conditions, or just overall discomfort. Since you need to walk, finding some form of relief is vital to your busy schedule. Orthotics could be just what your feet need to keep going.
At Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey, we’re experts in many different conditions that affect your feet. Our team is led by three expert podiatrists, all of whom offer specialized treatments and custom orthotics when your feet are bothering you.
Orthotics are devices that you put in your shoes or on your ankles to alleviate pain from certain foot and ankle conditions. They provide constant support to the structures in your ankles and feet, which helps to take some of the pressure off of the area that’s causing discomfort.
When you think of orthotics, you may think of the shoe inserts you find at the store. However, there are also custom shoe inserts and other types of orthotics as well, which include:
The orthotic you need depends on the condition you’re trying to correct and the severity of your condition. While over-the-counter (OTC) orthotics can do the trick for minor issues, custom orthotics are specifically made to fit your feet.
While orthotics provide pain relief for your sore feet, they also help actual foot and ankle conditions as well. The conditions they can alleviate include:
They can also be helpful when you’re suffering from different types of arthritis in your feet or ankles. Back pain is another condition that can be worsened by issues with your feet. Orthotics can ease back pain by correcting issues with your feet that could be putting excess pressure on your back.
Orthotics are also helpful when you suffer from diabetes and diabetic neuropathy. This condition leads to decreased sensation in your legs and feet, and orthotics can take pressure off of areas in your feet where diabetic ulcers can form.
There’s a big difference between over-the-counter orthotics and custom orthotics. Our team helps you decide which option is the best to get your foot pain under control.
Over-the-counter orthotics are generic — meaning they fit any type of shoe or foot bed. You can get them in stores, and they can provide some comfort and cushioning for your feet. You don’t need to get a prescription for these inserts, but they’re not customized to your feet.
OTC inserts are usually made of materials like foam or gel, and they last for about a year or so. While these orthotics provide support, they don’t correct actual problems that are plaguing your feet.
Custom orthotics, on the other hand, are specialized to your feet. Custom orthotics require a prescription from our team, and they help you get rid of pain from certain medical conditions that affect your feet.
Custom orthotics also help you fix problems regarding how you walk or run. At the end of the day, specialized orthotics could help you put off surgery to fix conditions with your feet.
Don’t let pain in your feet keep you from the activities you love. Call our office in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, today at 856-266-9572 to schedule a consultation. You can also book an appointment online by sending us a message on our website.
