If you suffer from the persistent pain of plantar fasciitis, your foot care specialist may have suggested custom orthotics as a way to alleviate the pain. Continue reading to discover how these inserts work and some of the benefits of using them.
What Are Custom Orthotics?
In the context of plantar fasciitis treatment, orthotics are supportive inserts for your shoes. They provide targeted support to alleviate heel pain, which is why orthotics are most effective when customized or formed for your feet and body.
Once your feet adjust to the customized support, they will no longer need to stretch as you perform your daily activities. Then the fascia (the inflamed soft tissue in your foot) can heal, and the foot pain can dissipate.
Benefits of Custom Orthotics for Plantar Fasciitis
To purchase custom orthotics, you will need to visit a foot care specialist. You can ask your primary healthcare practitioner for a referral or call a foot care clinic directly. At your visit with a foot care specialist, you will receive more than custom orthotics. You will also receive a detailed assessment of your foot anatomy and biomechanics. This means that the underlying cause (or causes) of your plantar fasciitis and other foot pain may be exposed. Therefore, in opting for custom orthotics, you also receive professional foot care.
In addition to being cast for your unique feet, custom orthotics can also be made to accommodate your lifestyle and footwear needs, such as high heels and dress shoes, work boots, or runners. Custom orthotics are well-made and durable. Their thickness and material composition will vary according to your needs, but professionally made custom orthotics are durable and longer lasting than over-the-counter.
Buyer Beware
Over-the-counter inserts promise a custom fit. This is not the same as custom orthotics, which can only be purchased after a professional assessment and the taking of impressions with plaster moulds or 3D laser scans. These impressions are precise impressions of your neutral foot and are used to create prescription orthotics that match your feet, and your feet alone, in much the same way that eyeglasses are made to match your visual needs and eye placement.
Visit a Foot Care Clinic Today
There are solutions to alleviate the stabbing pain of plantar fasciitis. Visit a foot care clinic for comprehensive treatment and to inquire about custom orthotics. Complete Foot Care and Orthotic Centre is open to patients suffering from foot pain. Call us today for comprehensive foot care in Windsor.