Orthotics are custom molded shoe inserts that improve your feet and the way you walk or run. They correct imbalances and help you stand up straight, improving your posture and reducing back and knee pain.
Poor posture places unnecessary strain on muscles, tendons and ligaments, increasing your risk of injury. And if you’re overweight, it can compound problems.
Read on for a concise understanding of how orthotics can enhance posture and joint alignment, correct imbalances, reduce strain, and alleviate pain.
Reduces Pain and Injuries
In addition to preventing foot, ankle, and knee injuries, orthotics reduce back and shoulder pain. They help the body distribute weight evenly, which prevents the overuse of muscles and joints. They also reduce stress on the feet and ankles, minimising the risk of bunions (a condition in which the base joint of the big toe shifts inward), heel spurs, and flat feet.
People who stand for long periods of time as part of their jobs benefit from wearing orthotics since they can help alleviate pressure on the lower extremities and spine. They can also improve balance and stability, reducing the risk of falling or injury during sports.
Custom-made quality orthotics Melbourne are better than premade ones because they’re molded to the specific shape of your feet and ankles, helping you maintain an ideal gait. Premade orthotics are mass-produced to fit the “average” foot, which can lead to problems in other areas of your body if not properly fitted.
Orthotics can help relieve the pain of arthritis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis in the hands and knees. They can also prevent shin splints, which is when the small muscles in your legs spasm and tighten when you walk or run. They can also take pressure off the Achilles tendon and help with Hallux valgus, a common condition in which the big toe angles inward.
Helps Prevent Overuse Injuries
Orthotics help improve posture by correcting imbalances in the foot, ankle and leg. This allows for proper weight distribution that prevents excessive stress on muscles, tendons and ligaments during physical activity. It also reduces the risk of overuse injuries, like shin splints, in which one area of the foot takes an unfair share of the body’s weight.
Poor posture puts extra strain on your postural muscles, which can result in stiff achy muscles and even back pain. Over time, this extra stress can cause your muscles to weaken and become overstretched. It can even lead to chronic fatigue as your body has to work overtime to maintain balance and movement in a misaligned system.
Overuse injuries, like shin splints, occur when one part of your foot or knee takes an unfair share of the body’s pressure during physical activity. This can happen because of a number of factors, including flat feet, splayed or collapsed arches, or legs that are too long or too short.
Sports orthotics are customised inserts that fit inside your shoes to offer support and stability during athletic activities. They can address biomechanical imbalances in the foot, such as overpronation, which is common among runners. Regular use of these supports helps minimise discomfort and enhance performance by ensuring optimal alignment during high-impact activity. They also promote stability during dynamic movements, like cutting motions in team sports or quick directional changes during running.
Enhances Muscle Function
When orthotics align the foot, they improve the way muscles work. This can make a huge difference. Misaligned feet can lead to misalignment of the knee, hip, and lower back. As a result, these joints become overworked and pain develops. In addition, this imbalance can cause muscles to weaken on one side of the body, leading to further discomfort and instability during activities. Orthotics can also help reduce fatigue in the feet and legs by distributing forces more evenly, thus reducing pressure on specific areas. This can also activate underutilised muscles, improving overall foot and leg function.
It’s important for rheumatologists to understand how orthotics enhance muscle function, as this can be critical in helping their patients manage and prevent these conditions. For example, when an orthotic correct alignment issues in the foot and ankle, it can affect how the foot is positioned during movement, which in turn influences the position of the lower leg. This can significantly impact the stance and swing phases of gait, leading to greater stability during movement and improved gait function.
The most effective orthotics are designed based on a detailed assessment of the individual’s foot type, posture and biomechanical needs. They should provide support and stabilisation, control motion, prevent excessive pronation, reduce heel pain and improve balance, among other things. In addition, a rheumatologist should be able to explain how the specific design and materials of an orthotic can help the patient achieve these goals.
Reduces Fatigue
If you have bad posture, your muscles work overtime each day to keep your balance and produce movement in a misaligned system. This causes chronic fatigue, which reduces your quality of life. Orthotics help you maintain proper alignment and improve postural stability throughout your entire kinetic chain.
Poor posture usually starts in the feet, with flat or high arches that collapse and ankles that roll in excessively. These conditions affect the way your body moves, resulting in foot, knee, hip and back pain. Orthotics help improve the position of your feet and ankles, reducing this type of pain.
The supportive structure of orthotics helps reduce pain by redistributing pressure evenly over the surface of your foot. They also support your arches and reduce abnormal pronation that causes your ankles to roll in, causing excess stress on your knees, hips and lower back.
Orthotics can also increase the stimulation of your foot’s proprioceptive receptors, which increases your awareness of your body position. This may help control the amount of compensatory muscle contraction, reducing muscle tension asymmetry. This reduction in asymmetry can help you feel less tired because your muscles are working more efficiently.
Orthotics offer a multifaceted approach to improving posture, joint alignment, and overall musculoskeletal health. By addressing imbalances in the feet and correcting biomechanical issues, orthotics not only reduce pain and prevent injuries but also enhance muscle function and reduce fatigue. Whether you’re seeking relief from chronic conditions like arthritis or aiming to optimize your athletic performance, custom-made orthotics tailored to your specific needs can make a significant difference in your daily life.
To explore how orthotics can benefit you and improve your quality of life, click here.