Custom Orthotics Questions and Answers
Do you feel foot pain when you walk, or have other similar foot issues? Our professionals at Coastal Medical Integration provide all the help that you need to find yourself the right pair of custom orthotics in Gulf Breeze, FL. For more information, call us today or request an appointment online.
Custom orthotics are usually one part of a treatment plan for people who have foot and ankle issues. The goal for utilizing custom orthotics is to correct feet that are not properly positioned. For example, when feet overpronate, they tend to roll slightly downward or inward, and this is normally the case for those who have very flat feet. Wearing custom orthotics help provide additional arch support, and they may also provide additional support with cushioning key areas, like the feet, mainly the heel or ball of the foot. Since orthotics are custom made, the person developing them will consider the individual’s footwear need. More importantly, custom orthotics is a key step in helping a person avoid invasive treatments, one being surgery.
What is custom orthotics?
Custom orthotics are a special heel or shoe inserts that are prescribed and custom-made specifically for you to help treat leg, foot, or back problems. They are part of a comprehensive treatment plan to take care of various symptoms that involve discomfort and pain of the feet and legs. Your doctor may have the following goals for your orthotic treatment: correcting foot deformities, helping the angle or foot function better, providing support to the angle, and reducing risk for future injuries. Custom orthotics are more than just a shoe insert or heel pad that you find on the shelves at your local sports store. Instead, they are innovative and highly customized heel insert or shoe that is made only for your feet. Your doctor may also recommend getting a custom orthotic if an off-the-shelf-device or other exercise treatments prove ineffective.
What do custom orthotics treat?
A custom orthotic is a prescribed medial device. Custom involves your doctor using casts, impressions or scans to perfectly fit your foot. A custom orthotic will help control the function and alignment of your foot and will help prevent or treat abnormal motion, or rolling, of the foot. Therefore, when redistributing pressure on the bottom of your foot, pain and discomfort and even calluses are reduced. What’s really interesting is that doctors may prescribe orthotics to treat a number of conditions that affect the feet: back pain, arthritis, back pain, bunions, bursitis, diabetes, flat feet, hammer toes, heel spurs, high arches, plantar fasciitis, and a variety of injuries.
Should I wear orthotics all the time?
It is important to wear your orthotics based on a doctor’s advice. When you first put them on, you might feel a sense of relief to finally have the support you need to help treat your discomfort and chronic pain. Here is what you need to know when wearing them. Break into them slowly, start off with a few minutes per wear each day, remove them frequently to give your body a break, and remove your orthotics for strenuous activities. When you gradually get used to them, they still may give you some troubles, however, let your body rest between wear, maintain your orthotic carefully, and get adjustments made if needed. At first you will assume that a custom orthotic will be a permanent collection to your wardrobe, but in many cases, you might be able to wear them less over time or during certain activities, and in some cases, you might even be able to stop wearing them altogether. You may need to wear them for a long time if you have conditions that prevent you from enjoying everyday activities, or you may need to wear them for a shorter or medium time-period if you sustained an injury that needs to heal properly. It may take a few months or a year for your tendons and muscles to heal, but when they do, your doctor may suggest that you no longer need to wear them.
How long does custom orthotics last?
The high-quality orthotics should last between two to three years, and they are designed to withstand wear and tear from walking, standing, and using them daily will inevitably result in damage to them over time. When you participate in recreational activities, this may cause inserts to wear out sooner since you are placing excessive amounts of stress on the soles and contours of your orthotics. We serve patients from Gulf Breeze FL, Pensacola Beach FL, Navarre FL, Mary Ester FL, Milton FL, Pace FL, Cantonment FL, and Fort Walton FL.