Foot orthotics can help in the treatment of several foot-related pathologies and conditions. Discover 4 pathologies and types of pain that can be treated by wearing foot orthotics.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a pathology which, very often, is characterized by sharp pain in the heel, usually more pronounced in the morning during the first steps. It is a condition commonly encountered in athletes and people working while standing for long periods of time. The symptoms of fasciitis appear gradually with diffuse and intermittent pain. Plantar fasciitis can be caused by stretching of the plantar fascia which is a fibrous band supporting the arch of the foot. This tension can cause pain. If fasciitis is not treated, symptoms and pain can intensify, become acute, constant and sometimes even chronic.
Wearing foot orthotics can therefore help relieve symptoms in several ways:
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By supporting the arch;
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By distributing the pressure under the foot;
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By stabilizing the ankle;
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By promoting better alignment between the leg, ankle and foot;
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By absorbing shocks;
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By unloading the heel.
Metatarsalgia
Metatarsalgia is any pain felt at the sole of the foot, namely in the palm area of the foot, just behind the toes. The pain is often associated with the collapse of one or more of the five metatarsal heads, thus causing poor distribution of the support points under the foot, or even by localized hyperpressure.
Causes of metatarsalgia:
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Arthritis;
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A foot injury following an accident;
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A foot injury related to a sporting activity;
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Shoes that are too stiff or have high heels;
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A collapse of the transverse arch located at the front of the foot.
By wearing custom-made foot orthotics with metatarsal support, you will see the pressure in the painful area decrease. The role of the dome is to support the arch at the toes of the foot and therefore reduce pressure on the metatarsal heads.
Lenoir’s Thorn (Heel Spur)
Lenoir’s thorn, also called heel spur, is an abnormal bony growth that points toward the forefoot visible only during an x-ray. It forms where the plantar fascia joins the heel bone called the calcaneus at the level of the heel. It is a condition that often occurs as a result of plantar fasciitis. By undergoing traction on the fascia, a Lenoir thorn can appear.
Pain is usually caused by inflammation that persists. Wearing foot orthotics is therefore very effective if combined with a stretching program in order to restore flexibility to the calf and mobility to the ankle. It is with foot orthotics that the arch of the foot can be supported, the ankle can be stabilized and the heel can be relieved of weight.
When the inflammation is healed and mobility is restored, the symptoms disappear. This is a permanent condition that can be treated to reduce and control pain.
Flat feet
Flat foot is characterized by a sagging of the arch of the foot with disappearance of the internal arch of the foot. The phenomenon is usually accompanied by some degree of pronation or outward twisting of the foot. Flat foot is believed to be caused by muscular and ligamentous insufficiency of the foot which does not allow the arch of the foot to develop normally.
Most of the time flat feet do not cause pain. However, the pronation instability that accompanies it is often responsible for many ailments. Painful symptoms along the arch of the foot or behind the inner bone of the ankle joint may be caused. Several pathologies in the lower limbs arise from untreated flat feet: bunions, calluses, plantar fasciitis, ankle problems, shin splints, knees, hips and even back.
Their primary purpose is to relieve the patient by supporting the arches of the foot (internal, external and transverse). Wearing orthotics also helps prevent the progression of deformities and reduce muscular imbalances in the foot and ankle, often responsible for repeated falls and sprains.
