Every foot shape is unique, and nobody bears stress through their foot in the exact same manner. While the size of a shoe can change, the overall design of the sole remains constant, meaning that shoes will support people in different ways depending on the shape of their foot. For many people, this means that their foot is not adequately supported in a standard shoe.
This lack of support can contribute to ligament injuries, arch problems, heel pain and more, but you can fight back against these problems by investing in an orthotic insert. These orthotic inserts contour to your unique foot shape to ensure stress is dispersed as it should be across your foot. As you might imagine, there are a number of different orthotic inserts on the market, so how do you know which one is right for you?
At OrthoRehab PT, we’re confident that we can help you find the right type of orthotic insert to help you recover after an injury or improve your balance and gait. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at three types of orthotic inserts that we offer through our clinic.
Three Types Of Orthotic Inserts
If you are looking to recover after an injury or better support your foot so that you can prevent potential issues, an orthotic insert may be the perfect compliment to a physical therapy program. Here’s a look at three types of orthotic inserts that we can help set you up with:
- Custom Orthotic – This is the top of the line type of orthotic that is custom fit to your exact foot shape. Your foot will be casted and a molded slipper will be made based on the shape of the bottom of your foot. This cast will then be sent off to a design lab where orthotic inserts will be custom created based on your foot shape and the way in which a professional wants stress channeled through your foot. Oftentimes you can have your inserts back to you in just a few weeks. This type of orthotic offers the most benefit because it can be tailored to your specific needs, but they are also the most expensive of the three options. Your PT can talk prices and payment options should you want to learn more about custom orthotics.
- Generic Inserts – On the opposite site of the spectrum are generic, over-the-counter inserts. Depending on your foot shape and needs, it’s certainly possible that an over-the-counter insert helps you find relief. Although they are mass produced and not based on the specific shape of your foot, many companies offer generic inserts aimed at treating specific issues, like high arches, plantar fasciitis or heel pain. If you work with a physical therapist, they can offer some more insights as to whether they believe a certain type of generic insert may be beneficial for your foot issue or for injury prevention. Because these are generic and mass produced, they are the cheapest type of orthotic on the market.
- Heat Molded – A heat molded insert offers a nice middle ground for many patients who are hoping to have a little more customization to their orthotic insert without paying for the custom-designed option. Heat molded inserts involve taking a pre-made orthotic and using a heat gun to help mold and shape the insert. It’s similar to how you boil water to soften a generic mouthguard before biting down and creating a custom-fit mouthguard. These genetic inserts can be partially shaped and molded using heat to offer a more individualized contour to a person’s specific foot shape and needs. This option is more expensive than a generic option, but much cheaper than custom-built orthotics.
If you’re dealing with arch pain, balance problems or ankle ligament damage, you can address the issue by working with a physical therapist and seeing if an orthotic insert can provide some passive assistance when you’re not pursuing other active treatment techniques. For more information on the types of orthotic inserts we offer, or for help overcoming a different foot issue, reach out to the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today at (612) 339-2041.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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