How to pick podiatrist insoles for shoes and feet (flat, wide, turns -

Podiatrist insoles work great for feet with high arches, flat foot, turn inwards, or outwards, wide foot or feet with arthritis, etc. They help you to reduce pains in your back, and legs from walking or even standing. “Go to the extra mile”, they say. “It’s never crowded,” they told you. But what if your feet are hurting when you are walking? Jokes aside from the famous quotes about walking the extra miles, walking is inevitable in our life. Even if you commute from home to your office with a car or a train, you got to walk before you get into them. We got to thank our feet for taking us to everywhere we want, shaping our body into a healthy body by simple cardio exercise or run at the park. Unfortunately for some people, simple things like standing, walking, or let alone a jog, hurts their feet. Unhealthy feet can be very upsetting because we have to use our feet every single day. But thanks to modern science and medicine world, now we have a solution. The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is podiatrist insole for feet.

What Do Orthotics Insoles or Podiatrist Insoles Do For Your Feet?

They help your feet (flat, wide, turn outward, inwards, etc) to fit into your shoes that allow your body to walk comfortably on the ground. If your feet are not shaped properly, it affects your standing and walking posture. A simple flat foot, or wide foot, or foot that turns inwards, or outwards at an awkward angle can spell big pains for your legs and even your BACK. Insoles match your feet to contour into the shoes so you can walk without pain. Insoles help to match your uneven feet to the ground to help you walk properly. Your back and leg will have less impact from your feet pounding on the ground.

What Is An Insole for shoes or feet?

Insoles are the soft bedding inside your shoes that are made to support your foot and can be easily removed. Insoles’ material used to be matted pads of animal hair, and then it was changed to leather. But it was not popular because leather insoles are heavy and stiff. After many trials and errors from the first insoles until now, insoles material are now often made of cellulose paperboard, a synthetic insole board, and thermoplastic. Every foot are different, while many people have normal feet, some of us can have flat feet, even high-arched feet. These feet need special care and treatment, and these needs can be provided by picking the right insole. Even if you think you don’t have feet problem, you can buy one for more comfortable and more supportive footing as it absorbs the shock your feet made when they are in contact with the land. They provide extra cushioning and support for your heel, toes, or even entire foot. Insoles that you can buy freely in stores without a doctor’s prescription are usually made from gel, plastic, or foam. These are used for comfort not a treatment for foot problems. However, if you have a problem with how you walk, stand, or run, it’s recommended for you to see a podiatrist (foot doctor) first so they can diagnose your problem and refer you to orthotist (the person who makes your orthotic) to get a special orthotic insole customized for your feet. Foot pain caused by several medical conditions like diabetes, bunions, plantar fasciitis, bursitis, flat feet, and arthritis can be helped if you meet the right podiatrist and orthotist.

Do Foot Insoles work for my feet?

Yes, they do! Each orthotics insoles are specially made to match your feet’s needs. You may have flat feet, wide feet, high arches, feet that turn inward or outwards or you have arthritis in your feet, foot insoles help. Our brain does complex things to send impulses to tell our foot to walk and run. Flat feet, high-arched feet, or bunions gives abnormal stress on your foot, giving you the risk of having pain, injury, and foot deformities. The pain can even go up to your knees and hips! This is where foot insoles help, by placing special orthotics to correct the foot’s function or shape, absorb shock, distribute weight evenly, and provide arch support. Making it able to for you to stand, walk, and run normally and pain freely. During an appointment with your podiatrist, your feet will be examined thoroughly. They will assess how you walk and how your feet, ankles, legs, and hips move. After that, they will make a mold of your feet, some take 3D images, and some even use laser graphics. Once they get a precise model, they will then prescribe it to orthotist to be custom made.

When you get your special orthotics insole, try to take one pair of your shoes that’s uncomfortable or ill-fitting for you, and insert a new set of the insoles. Now you can say hi to your newly improved shoes that were left out before, and say goodbye to your feet pain.

When Should I Consider Getting an Orthotics?

There is an Asian saying that says, “It’s better to prevent than to heal.” I think it is a perfect saying for this case. As a person working in the medical field, it is not uncommon to see people taking it easy of their condition because they think they can “hold it”, or it is “not that bad”. All I can say is, the earlier you get your treatment, the easier for it to be healed. Delayed healing makes the symptoms worsen as time goes by and it makes it harder for your feet to recover get back to their normal self. Chronic foot or heel pain resulting in hips ache, backache, and even neck ache over time. Even if you don’t have any pain yet, it is recommended to consider orthotics if you love to run, play basketball or play football and if you have sudden weight gain from pregnancy that can give feet extra stress and impact. If you’ve just notice pain in your heels or feet, or if you’ve been holding your pain for some time, I’m gonna tell you one more time, the time to start healing is now.

Do Orthotics Go Over Insoles?

It depends! Some orthotics are slip-in orthotics, this means you can wear them over your original insoles. Some orthotics require you to remove your old insoles and put the new one inside your shoes. Make sure to ask your podiatrist or orthotist so you are wearing it the right way. Remember, softer insole doesn’t mean better insole. If you have feet problem and still want to take softer insole because you like the soft cushiony feeling when you slip your foot in, you are missing the point. Podiatrist insoles or orthotics insoles are made to fix the problem in your feet. The shape should be mixed, between supportive, hard structures, and softer structure that work together to correct your feet shape, to ease the pressure of your feet (flat feet and high-arched feet needs are different), and absorb the shock.

Do I Have To Wear Orthotics Forever?

Be patient! The purpose of orthotics or podiatrist insoles is to reshape and realign your feet to the correct anatomy, of course, it takes time and it depends on the severeness of your problem. First, they work by alleviating your pain, only after that, your body can go into the healing process. Put it like this, insoles for your feet are like braces for your teeth, they apply pressure to the areas that need it and move them to the correct position. While not all insoles work like braces for the front and rear foot, some insoles also provide support and stability for your arch (only the back foot). This insoles variation can be chosen by your podiatrist as they know which part of your feet that needs more pressure. It can be uncomfortable, I know, it is putting your muscles, tendons, and even bones to the proper shape and location. Give your body time to re-learn how to walk, stand, and run in the right way. Wear them gradually, one step at a time. Maybe 30 minutes on the first day, maybe a couple of hours more the next day, and over time you can wear it just like you wear your normal shoes, light and comfy. Ask your podiatrist so he/she can advise you on how long you should be wearing your orthotics a day. Be consistent, your feet and body will be grateful for that. You can feel a gradual decrease in your pain daily, even monthly. However, to determine if your feet’s condition has been healed or if your feet’s anatomy has been corrected, you need to see your podiatrist again. He/she will make a thorough physical examination once again and you can take their words for it as they are a licensed medical doctor that has gone through professional training to be able to take care of you.

Does flat foot or wide foot mean I am unable to run?

With proper insoles, you can walk and stand normally without pain. You can also customised special insoles coupled with proper running shoes to run effectively without pain in your leg nor backs. Podiatrist insoles help to reduce the impact on your body that were spread unevenly via your flat or wide foot.

One Step At A Time for comfortable walking with insoles.

One step at a time is good walking. Our feet have done a complex job for us to be able to stand, walk, and run. Sometimes at some condition, our feet need outside help. This is where podiatrist insoles or orthotics insoles come in. These extra layers made of different materials like gels, pads, or even polymer plastic, are customized to help feet correct the foot’s function or shape, absorb shock, distribute weight evenly, and provide arch support. If you have feet, knees, or hips problem, you should consider getting a orthotics that are prescribed by the podiatrist. Orthotics are also recommended for sporty people, pregnant women, or even healthy people that want extra comfort. How you wear orthotics insoles depends on the brand, so make sure to learn how to use one. It takes time for our feet to be healed, be patient. Stand straight, walk proud, have a little faith. You can check out more insoles feet accessories for flat, wide, inwards, outwards, arthritis feet etc.