Why You May Need Orthotic Shoe Inserts

Approximately 70 percent of the inhabitants of the earth suffer from a condition called over-pronation, something that can be the culprit for painful conditions over the years. Some individuals overpronate more than others. The reason why so many individuals have flat feet is caused by the hard, flat surfaces we walk on each day. Also, age, weak ankle muscles and body weight can be a factor. Hence, overpronation is much more prevalent in people in their 50’s and above, and also in people with excess weight.

For a lot of individuals, over-pronation doesn’t pose a real problem, particularly for younger people. Nonetheless, irregular foot function caused by over-pronation will cause a number of issues including plantar fasciitis, heel pain, heel spurs, metatarsalgia – even knee pain and low back pain!

Orthotics correct the problem of over-pronation and can help reduce or eliminate many common aches and pains caused by flat feet and other ailments of the foot. Orthotic shoe inserts are not pricey, with a price from $30-40/pair. Acquiring a pair of orthotics can be an important investment in your health, because they can also prevent many future biomechanical ailments.

What Exactly Are Orthotic Shoe Inserts?

Orthotic shoe inserts are products that are put inside your footwear with the goal of restoring our normal foot function. Many familiar complaints such as heel pain, knee pain and low back pain are triggered by flawed foot biomechanics. Biomechanics is the science of movement and studies the motion of our bodies during walking, running, and sports. The most familiar kind of bad foot biomechanics is overpronation. It consists in the arches being dropped and the turning in of the feet and ankles. An estimated 70 percent of people experience overpronation to varying degrees. Orthotic shoe inserts correct overpronation and realign the foot and ankle bones to their proper position, reestablishing the original foot function. At the same time, this will help relieve problems not just in the feet, but also in other sections of your body, particularly the lower body such as the knees, hips and lower back.

What is the Difference Between Orthotic Shoe Inserts and Regular Insoles?

There is a big difference between standard shoe insoles and orthotic shoe inserts. Standard shoe insoles are only designed to provide a cushioning effect and shock absorption. They may provide comfort at to start, however they do not deal with any biomechanical problems i.e. they do not relieve overpronation. On the other hand, orthotics are active devices, designed to correct and normalize our foot function. Some shoe insoles also contain an arch support, but often the support is too weak to have any effect, especially if the shoe insoles are made of soft materials.

So how do orthotics exactly work? First of all, orthotics do a lot more than providing support to the arches. Orthotic shoe inserts bring back the correct position of the feet and ankles and restore normal foot function. Also, orthotics cause a more stable spread of our body weight, taking pressure off tender sites such as the ball of the feet, heels, corns and bunions, etc. They also provide a certain degree of shock absorption, but this not their main purpose. The main goal of orthotics is to correct foot function. In many instances, this will reduce foot discomfort and help stop future troubles and harm.

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