Suffering from chronic back pain? You’re not alone. More than 31 million Americans struggle back pain, and about 8% of all Americans have chronic back pain.
Most people with low back pain recover in a few weeks, but for many others, it keeps coming back, making it difficult to navigate daily activities or even sleep.
While many treatments are available to help with back pain, from medication to surgery, one simple and non-invasive tactic is one you may have missed, custom orthotics.
At Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey, our podiatrists provide personalized foot and ankle care to our patients in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and we want to help you remedy your chronic back pain. Using state-of-the-art equipment, innovative solutions, and custom orthotics, we help you get back to living your life without back pain.
We’ve put together this guide to help you understand how custom orthotics can remedy your chronic back pain.
Custom orthotics, sometimes called insoles, inserts, or arch supports, support your feet and ankles. Shaped to fit your unique foot and made especially for you, custom orthotics fit inside your shoe and offer many benefits, including:
While you can buy generic orthotics at a drugstore, these over-the-counter options won’t fit your unique foot as they are designed to fit generic shoe beds. And because they’re made with lower-quality materials, they only last about six months with regular use.
The custom orthotics provided by the podiatrists at Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey match the precise contours of your feet resulting in greater comfort. They’re made from durable material that will last for up to ten years.
In addition to helping you get around, your feet are the foundation for your musculoskeletal system. They’re the only connection this system has with whatever supporting surface your standing, walking, or running on.
When your feet or ankles aren’t aligned properly, there’s a broken link in a connected chain. When this link breaks, the entire musculoskeletal system suffers, often resulting in low back pain.
Custom orthotics correct your foot and ankle position and function. As a result, the way your body moves changes, helping your musculoskeletal system resume proper function and remedying chronic back pain.
Custom orthotics absorb more of the impact from walking, running, or standing than shoes alone. This added shock absorption takes additional pressure off your spine and other joints.
Your experience with custom orthotics depends on factors related uniquely to you, such as the severity of symptoms, problems with foot or ankle function, and foot shape. Your podiatrist at Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey will provide you with instructions and other appropriate treatments.
Some benefits may appear quickly, while other improvements will appear as you continue to wear your custom orthotics. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions, and follow up if your back pain persists.
For custom orthotics, visit the team at Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey. Our podiatrists will assess your symptoms and medical history, then examine your feet, ankles, and legs to determine any issues. Your exam may include how you walk, run, and stand.
We’ll prescribe the right type of orthotic device for your specific condition, and often use advanced technology to make a 3D image of your feet. These computerized images and measurements help create custom orthotics that fit your foot exactly.
Depending on your lifestyle, we can create different orthotics for different types of footwear, like dress shoes and sneakers.
To learn more about orthotics and start remedying your chronic back pain, call Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey or book an appointment online today.
