5 Helpful Tips for Selecting the Right Orthotics for You

Did you know that many aches and pains throughout your musculoskeletal system can be traced to problems with your feet? Functional problems or misalignment in your foot and ankle can lead to misalignment elsewhere. The result? Pain and instability.

You don’t need to live with this pain. There are treatments that can put an end to your suffering. Orthotic inserts in your shoes are just one tool that the expert team at Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers have at their disposal to help improve your lower limb problems.

Orthotics provide structural support for your feet to correct abnormalities and functional foot problems or to take the pressure off of sore or injured areas. Conditions that can benefit from orthotic inserts and support include:

• Arthritis
• Bunions and calluses
• Bursitis
• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Flat feet or high arches
• Plantar fasciitis or heel spurs
• Tendinitis
• Under- or overpronation
• Sports injuries
• Postsurgical recovery

If you’re trying to find support for your foot and ankle problems with orthotic shoes or inserts, we’ve put together our top five tips for making sure you opt for the right orthotics for you and your feet.

1. Wear your favorite shoes to get orthotics fitted

Although orthotics can be made to fit your feet, they need to work with your footwear to provide you with the best support to properly address your foot and ankle problems. It’s important to ensure that your orthotics are appropriate for the shoes you wear most often.

2. Understand your foot type and condition

To make the right choice of orthotic insert, you need to understand your feet and the problems you're trying to correct or support. Some over-the-counter cushioned inserts for your shoes provide some comfort but mask the problem. The ultimate goal for using orthotics is to properly support your foot and correct any functional problems.

For plantar fasciitis, a painful condition in which the connective tissue running from the heel over the sole of your foot becomes inflamed, you require good arch support and cushioning.

Orthotics can help correct an overpronating foot — when your foot rolls too far inward and causes instability in your ankle. Supination, or underpronation, is the opposite problem — when the foot turns outward. Both problems can impact your knees, hips, and back. Correcting a pronation problem requires a rigid or semi-rigid orthotic that keeps your foot supported at all times.

For heel pain or heel spurs, you require orthotics with lots of padding and cushioning to alleviate pain and inflammation.

For diabetes and arthritis, your shoe inserts must promote good circulation and provide shock absorption.

3. Consider the types of activities you need orthotics for

Whether you have an active job and need functional support throughout the day, you spend a large part of your day standing still, or you’re a runner or athlete who wants protection from wear-and-tear injuries, your orthotics need to provide you with the correct support for your lifestyle.

4. Seek professional advice or a prescription

The podiatrists at Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers are experts in assessing your foot conditions and know exactly how orthotics should be correcting and supporting you to protect you from injury and pain. We have the knowledge to ensure that you get the most of your orthotics and understand exactly how to support and protect your feet.

5. Get custom orthotics, built for your individual foot

At Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers, we use state-of-the-art technology to measure and assess your feet so we can create customized orthotics that provide the perfect fit and exact support you need to improve your condition or support your lifestyle.

To find out more about our orthotics service, make an appointment at either office — in Arlington or Mansfield, Texas — by calling or scheduling online today.