Orthotics: How They Can Help Plantar Fasciitis Due to Flat Feet

Why Do We Need Orthotic Insoles?

An estimated 70 percent of the population of the world deal with an ailment called over-pronation, something that can be the culprit for painful conditions over the years. Some patients overpronate more than others. The reason why so many of us have flat feet can be attributed to the flat and hard surfaces we run around on every day. Additionally, age, weak ankle muscles and body weight play a role. For this reason, overpronation is much more widespread in folks in their 50’s and above, and also in those that are overweight.

For lots of people, over-pronation doesn't create a real problem, specifically for younger people. Nonetheless, improper foot function caused by over-pronation can result in a number of problems like plantar fasciitis, heel pain, heel spurs, metatarsalgia - even knee pain and low back pain!

Orthotics fix the problem of over-pronation and can help diminish or eliminate many common aches and pains caused by flat feet and other ailments of the foot. Orthotic insoles are not expensive, costing between $30 and $40 per pair. Purchasing a pair of arch support inserts can be an important investment in your health, because they can also prevent many future biomechanical ailments.

What Are Orthotic Insoles?

Orthotic insoles are devices that are placed inside the shoes in order to restore our corect foot function. Many common ailments such as heel pain, knee pain and low back pain are produced by poor foot biomechanics. Biomechanics is the science of movement and analyzes the motion of our bodies while running, walking, and participating in sports. The most usual form of irregular foot biomechanics is overpronation. It consists in the arches being dropped and inward rolling of the feet and ankles. Approximately 70 percent of people suffers from overpronation to varying extents. Orthotic insoles improve overpronation and re-align the foot and ankle bones to their proper position, reinstating natural foot function. Simultaneously, this will help relieve issues not merely in the feet, but also in other parts of the body, particularly the lower body such as the knees, hips and lower back.

Orthotic Insoles: The Difference With Regular Insoles

There is a great difference between ordinary insoles and orthotic inserts. Regular insoles are only designed to offer a cushioning effect and shock absorption. They may be comfortable at to start, however they do not address any biomechanical issues i.e. they do not relieve overpronation. On the other hand, arch support inserts are practical devices, designed to correct and regulate our foot function. Some insoles also contain an arch support, but often the support is too weak to have any effect, especially if the insoles are made of spongy materials.

So how do arch support inserts precisely work? First of all, arch support inserts do a great deal more than giving support to the arches. Orthotic insoles bring back the correct position of the feet and ankles and restore correct foot function. Also, arch support inserts cause a more even weight distribution, taking pressure off painful locations such as the ball of the feet, heels, corns and bunions, etc. Additionally, they provide some degree of shock absorption, but this not their main purpose. The main intention of arch support inserts is to correct foot function. In many cases, this will diminish pain in the feet and put a stop to future problems and injuries.

Your Achilles Heel Pain Can Get Better with Plantar Fasciitis Exercises and Orthotics

Physiotherapists and podiatrists suggest the plantar fasciitis exercises explained below in addition to using orthotic shoe insoles to relieve Achilles heel pain resulting from plantar fasciitis due to excess pronation. You must be aware that these exercises for plantar fasciitis should not cause pain, but rather a stretching sensation. Try to do each exercise 2 or 3 times during the day; you do not have to do them all at once.

Exercises to do before rising from bed to help relieve heel pain:

Plantar Fasciitis can cause many people to feel terrible heel pain in the morning, when taking the first steps after getting out of bed. This pain comes from tightening of the plantar fascia that takes place as you snooze. Massaging and stretching the plantar fascia prior to getting up will help diminish heel pain.

An effective exercise you can do prior to rising up is to stretch your foot by moving it up and down ten times. Another exercise you could perform while seated is to utilize your foot’s arch to roll a rolling pin or tennis ball. Once you have the ability, progress to completing this exercise at the same time you are standing up. When you are done with these exercises, put your shoes on with orthotic shoe inserts inside them, or wear sandals with proper arch support. Don’t start the day walking without shoes on hard floors or tiles, or it can be guaranteed that your heel pain will come back.

Plantar Fasciitis exercises to do during the day:

Calf stretch: While standing, face the wall and place your hands on the wall at the level of your eyes. Position the leg you wish to stretch approximately a step behind your other leg. Placing your rear heel on the floor, bend your front knee until you feel a stretch in the back leg. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat 4 times.

Achilles Stretch: Stand on a step or stair. Little by little extend your heels down over the end of the step while relaxing your calf muscles. Hold the stretch for approximately 15 to 20 seconds, you will need to now tighten your calf muscle to lift your heels to return to the initial position. Repeat 4 times.

Hamstring Stretch: Extend one leg in front of you while you flex your foot. Bend your other knee and lean back slightly. Try to keep your pelvis angled forward. Your upper body should remain upright as you continue the stretch for 10-20 seconds, then swap sides. You should feel the tension up the back of your extended leg, all the way up your calf and thigh.

Marble Lifts: Position marbles on the floor next to a cup. With your toes, try to lift the marbles up from the floor and put them in the cup. Repeat exercise fifteen times.

Towel stretch: Grip a rolled-up towel at both ends, as you hold it under the ball of your foot. Smoothly, pull the towel toward you as you keep your knee straight. Maintain this position for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat 4 times.

By practicing these exercises daily, you will probably relieve that Achilles heel pain.

Mortons Neuroma and Ball Of Foot Pain: Causes and Relief Using Orthotic Shoe Inserts

Common Symptoms of Mortons Neuroma

A neuroma is identified by a non-cancerous lump of nerve tissue that is capable of growing in any part of the body. Mortons Neuroma occurs when there is compression to the nerve found between the third and fourth metatarsal bones in the foot, causing thickening of this nerve tissue. As the nerve is compressed, symptoms such as tingling and numbness of the toes start to occur. These symptoms are more noticeable when there is weight placed on the front of the foot, which causes a great deal of pain.

What Causes Mortons Neuroma?

Causes of Mortons Neuroma are not unequivocally clear, but anything that places abnormal pressure on this nerve can cause this tissue to thicken. Mortons Neuroma can be caused by wearing high heeled shoes that constrict the toes. Also, being flat-footed can cause the metatarsals to drop, which causes pressure on this nerve. Thickening of this tissue can also be caused by irritation to the nerve or injury.

A Common Cause of Metatarsalgia

Metatarsal pain is another foot condition that presents itself as pain in the this area. This ailment often happens to women who wear high heels, or people who wear shoes with no cushion or arch support. The bones in the foot can drop when the structure of the foot is weakend. When we wear shoes that do not provide enough support and cushioning we place excessive pressure on the ball of the foot and we experience pain. Also, people that suffer from excessive pronation can experience metatarsal pain in the ball of their feet. Over-pronation is a condition in which the ankles tend to roll inward and can lead to arch pain.

Diagnosis and Treatment for Mortons Neuroma

To properly treat this condition, one must get a proper diagnosis. A podiatrist usually examines the foot by pushing on the area of pain, squeezing the toes and pushing into the gap between the third and fourth toes. In some cases, he or she may be able to feel the neuroma. Doctors can also try to elicit Mulder’s sign, a clicking noise, by pushing on the area of pain. If the doctor is not able to feel a neuroma, he or she can employ other tools such as an x-ray to discount the possibility of any broken bones. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) allows physicians to clearly see a neuroma.

Treatments for Morton’s Neuroma can consist of several options, from resting the foot to surgery. In many cases the doctor will try the most conservative treatments first. Conservative treatments include resting the feet, wearing more comfortable shoes and trying orthotics to improve arch support. Orthotic arch supports also assist in distributing your weight more evenly over the entire foot, lessening the pressure on the ball of the foot. In many cases you will see an improvement by using a combination of these conservative treatments. In severe cases, where these options are not helpful, your doctor may prescribe injections to attempt to decrease the size of the neuroma. In extreme situations, surgery may be the only realistic approach.

Our foot care is an extremely important factor in our overall health and well-being. If you are suffering from intense pain in your feet, it is best to have a doctor examine your feet as soon as possible in order to determine the cause.

Knee Pain and How It May Be Caused by Flat Feet Overpronation

What are the Symptoms for Lower Leg Pain?
Leg pain is a common complaint experienced by many and can have many different causes. A main cause of leg pain is a biomechanical disorder known as excessive pronation. This causes pain by creating an internal rotation of the lower leg and knee and can be easily diagnosed by noticing a rotation of the foot originating at the ankle. This can be seen most predominantly the outward curvature of the Achilles Tendon, the strip of tissue that connects the heel and the calf muscle. As this twisting becomes more and more pronounced, a person with excessive pronation can have symptoms such as heel spurs, frequent ankle sprains, shin splints, painful arches, lower back pain, and of course knee pain. Pain in the knees can also occur from normal wear and tear to the joint, but when excessive pronation is evident, it causes a joint that is meant to act as a hinge only, to rotate. This joint is not created to rotate, and it is this improper motion of the knee that leads to early signs of stress on the bone causing long-term damage and extreme pain in the knee joint.

Additional Causes of Excessive Pronation

The most common causes of this foot ailment are heredity and the location of the feet while a baby is in the mother’s womb. It will tend to get worse as a person develops because the parts of the knee become very slack. as the foot becomes used to the loosened state of these tissues, the inner ankle bone protrudes greatly. As the foot muscles accommodate this improper alignment, the person will find that they have an very flexible and flat foot. A number of external signs of this ailment can be extreme wear and tear on the inner soles of shoes, very short arch height and also Morton’s toe. Morton’s toe is a situation, where the big toe is shorter than the second toe and can cause the foot to rotate inward.

A Common Treatment for Lower Leg Pain

One of the ways to help correct this foot abnormality is by the use of orthotics. Orthotic inserts are built to relieve excessive pronation by providing support to the arch and offering increased strength to the compromised ankle joints. They can be inserted into countless types of shoes, however one should choose a shoe that has sufficient arch support and a firm midsole to begin with. The shoes you use with these types of inserts should be able to fit them. Frequently, you will find that adding this additional arch support will bring more help to your aching knees than using a knee brace. They work on your feet just as braces work to align your teeth. By creating the necessary arch they drive the ankle joint back into alignment, alleviating the twisting on the knee thus bringing relief to the knee joint. Determining the cause of your pain should be fairly easy and using orthotic inserts to reduce the pain is a simple remedy. Leading long, productive lives begins with the care of our joints. We must pay attention to their needs can bring us a comfortable and happy state of health for years to come.

Diagnostic And Treatment For Flat Feet In Youth Using Orthotic Shoe Insoles

Flat feet during the early years is commonly difficult to notice in the early months, since the true shape of the foot is often hidden by baby fat. With the passage of time and as the child starts walking, the condition becomes evident. As the child gets older, it is normal for an arch to appear between the ages of 4 and 6, as it is often developed by walking barefoot on uneven terrain. This develops tendons, muscles, and ligaments. If a normal arch does not appear during this stage of development, then it may be necessary to look into using foot arch supports to prevent lower body or back issues from emerging later in life.

A good way to test whether an arch is being developed is by using a wet blotter. With this method, you create a footprint of your child’s damp foot on colored paper. Then you check whether the foot arch leaves a noticeable gap. You can also do this at the beach, or in a sandbox by looking at the foot impression, though the blotter test is much more helpful. Another indication of flat feet is whether the child complains about his or her calf muscles or ankles ache after walking for a period of time, as flat feet in early life can cause additional strain on ankles and calves to counteract the deficiency of foot arches. In some cases, a child may walk on the outer edges of his feet, and this is often mistaken for bowleggedness, when in reality it is a consequence of over-pronation caused by flat feet.

Pronation –the excessive rolling inwards of the ankles and feet, and resulting collapse of the arches– is found in up to seventy percent of the population. Over a period of time, over-pronation will also cause back problems in addition to foot pain, and also leg problems. Many people fail to comprehend how correct foot, leg and back alignment are interrelated, and it is important to remedy any foot problems such as flat feet during childhood to prevent further damage to other lower body parts.

It is recommended to detect flat feet during childhood as soon as possible to prevent ensuing complications later in life. While sometimes it is a normal part of aging, it is possible for adults of any age to develop flat feet. Flat feet can be set off for reasons such as pregnancy, injury, or illness, and can be permanent or temporary, depending on the reason. Excess weight can also be a cause for flat feet in children or adults.

Foot conditions such as flat feet during childhood can be corrected to prevent serious complications like plantar fasciitis and avoid damage to ankles, calves, or lower back. A recommended measure of prevention is through the use of foot arch supports. A foot specialist (podiatrist) should be able to evaluate the symptoms and recommend appropriate treatment, which could include foot arch supports or foot exercises, according to your particular situation. In many cases, off-the-shelf foot arch supports products available on the Internet or at retail stores, can produce excellent results, without the need for expensive custom-made orthotic arch supports or other aids available via prescription.

It is important to remember when it comes to flat feet during childhood is that early detection can prevent many serious problems to other body parts such as the knees and lower back with aging. It is easy to treat flat feet during childhood through readily available and affordable foot arch supports.

Treatment For Foot Pain Symptoms Using Arch Support Inserts

It is a fact that foot pain disorders are very common; about 70% of people will suffer foot pain at some time in their lives. With every step we take, a force of 2-3 times our body weight is placed on our feet. Considering that during a typical day we take 8,000-10,000 steps, it comes as no surprise that at some time in our lives we will all suffer from foot pain disorders.

Our feet are complex structures, consisting of 26 bones and 33 joints, layered with an intertwining web of more than 120 muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Here is an overview of the most common types of foot pain, why they occur, and what you can do to alleviate these foot pain disorders.

Foot Pain Conditions: Most Common Ailments

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is caused by small tears accompanied by inflammation along the ligaments and tendons stretching from the heel towards the ball of the foot. The affected area is known as the Plantar Fascia, and serves as one of our bodies' shock absorbers. It resembles a bow string, and forms the arch of the foot. Sharp heel pain, especially during our first steps after getting up in the morning, is often associated with this type of foot ailment. The kind of footwear being worn often plays an important role in providing relief from foot pain. Podiatrists recommend orthotic insoles as plantar fascitis treatment to help relieve this condition in many people.

Ball of Foot Pain

Pain in the ball of the feet is also referred to as Metatarsalgia, and takes place when the forefoot bones (metatarsals) drop and the ligaments which surround them weaken. As a result, the forefoot structure collapses, leading to excessive friction and pressure under the ball of the foot. In most cases, orthotic shoe inserts with proper arch and metatarsal support can provide significant relief for this condition.

Achilles Tendonitis

The tendon joining the calf muscle and the heel bone is called the Achilles Tendon, and is the largest tendon in our bodies. This tendon also supports most of the weight of our entire body. Intense or excessive sports activities involving the feet, and in certain cases, arthritis may cause this type of foot pain. In cases where over-pronation contributes to the problem, orthotic insoles are recommended to help relieve these types of foot pain disorders. Adequate rest and exercises to strengthen the calf muscles are often helpful in the healing process.

Heel Spurs

Heel spurs consist of bony growths that can cause sharp pain and discomfort around the heel bone (calcaneus). Heel spurs are typically a consequence of having plantar fasciitis. This painful bony growth on the heel is the result of continued pulling of the fascia as a result of over-pronation. The usual plantar fasciitis treatment involving the use of orthotic insoles can prevent and relieve these types of foot pain disorders.

Shin Pain

Runners frequently experience pain in the shin area, a condition which is known as Shin Splints, which involves soreness of the front or inside section of the shin bone. Shin splints can also be the result of extreme sports activities, and is a condition that can take a long time to heal. . Muscle imbalances or tight leg muscles caused by improper running posture can also lead to shin pain. Excessive foot pronation can also be a major contributing factor to shin splints. Over-pronation leads to internal tibial rotation and increases the tractional forces upon the muscles and ligaments in the lower leg. In these cases, orthotic insoles can be helpful in providing relief to these foot pain disorders

If your foot pain disorders worsen or become chronic despite the use of orthotic insoles, it is recommended that you consult with a podiatrist.