Can Custom Orthotics Help Me?

September 26, 2022
Restore Podiatry Staff

Orthotics are inserts that you place inside your shoes to better support and cushion your feet, or to readjust the alignment and biomechanics of your feet as you stand and walk. They can help relieve, provide support, and help people move around better.

What are Printed Custom Orthotics?

If you want a useful analogy, think about glasses and contacts. On their own, your eyes might not be able to bring objects into sharp focus. Things are blurrier than they should be, and your quality of life suffers. But when you put on your corrective eyewear, they give your eyes what they need to do their job correctly.

Orthotics are like that, except for the feet. On their own, the structural or gait problems with your feet may be painful and frustrating to deal with. But the right pair of orthotics can relieve pressure and adjust posture and alignment issues to get your feet working the way they should.

You might have seen mass-produced orthotics in the store or even advertised on TV, but they can be much more than that. They can come in many different shapes and sizes and are made from a wide variety of materials, from soft silicone to semi-rigid graphite and hard plastic.

While you can’t expect that picking a random insert off the shelf will fix your ailment, getting a pair of custom orthotics made specifically for your feet can treat many different foot problems. These wonderful devices then can alleviate pain and help treat several ailments.

Conditions that Printed Custom Orthotics Help With

Orthotics Helps Ease Pain

Health concerns and structural deficiencies such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, overpronation, high arch, flat feet, and poor posture, are all common to cause stress and pain. This is because the body is constantly trying to compensate for the deficiency. Therefore, you may notice pain in different parts of your body that are not your feet (neck, knee, back, shoulders, hips, etc.). However, using an orthotic can help correct these issues and alleviate pain.

Orthotics Help Enhance Athletic Performance

Whether you’re an athlete or someone active, custom orthotics can provide you with better balance, proper weight distribution, and support, potentially helping reduce muscle strain and injury.

If you’ve noticed discomfort while walking or running, the issue could be with your gait. Orthotics can provide support for those with gait issues or flat feet. Over time, gait issues can lead to the breakdown of foot tissue and padding, which can lead to further injury and chronic pain. By taking the necessary steps to correct the issue before it leads to deterioration or injury, you can provide your body the support it needs and be more comfortable.

Printed 3D Custom Orthotics May Effectively Correct Misalignment and Foot Abnormalities

Overpronation or flat-footedness is one of the most common conditions addressed by orthotics. It’s a condition where the foot rolls inward whenever it’s moved. People who are known to be flat-footed can benefit from foot orthotics to support the arch of their foot and improve their overall balance and provide better cushioning for the rest of the foot.

Those with diabetes can also benefit from orthotics and reduce the risk of foot ulcers or sores on the feet. These occur due to nerve damage and reduced blood flow to the legs, caused by diabetes. A proper orthotic can help reduce these concerns.

Risk Factors for Vitamin-Related Neuropathy

Certain factors can increase your risk of developing vitamin deficiencies that may lead to neuropathy:

Strict vegan or vegetarian diets (especially for B12)
Chronic alcohol abuse
Gastric bypass surgery or other gastrointestinal disorders
Certain medications (e.g., proton pump inhibitors, metformin)
Older age
Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Why Choose 3D Printed Custom Orthotics Instead of Over-the-Counter Orthotics?

If you have mild to moderate foot pain, prefabricated orthotics that are mass-produced, relatively inexpensive, and sold over the counter in stores and pharmacies may be enough to improve it. However, they generally can’t fix alignment issues or treat as many kinds of conditions as custom orthotics.

Custom orthotics are prescribed by a specialist like Dr. Bhela and built to the exact specifications of your feet. They can offer better results for a wider variety of conditions, including those that require an adjustment to the alignment or motion of the feet. They are more expensive upfront than prefabricated orthotics, but also last much longer on average and can usually be adjusted as necessary. They are made to last, are easy to clean, and can be used in any pair of shoes that fit them.

The team at Restore Podiatry & Laser Center is at the cutting edge of new technology and products that will give our patients the best results possible, so they can live an active and healthy lifestyle. As part of our commitment to innovation, our clinic offers 3D foot scanning with dynamic gait analysis to enable both orthotic recommendations and 3D-printed custom orthotics. The lattice design of our 3D-printed custom orthotics creates the most lightweight, comfortable, and corrective fit you will ever experience.

At our office, we use custom orthotics to effectively treat a wide variety of painful foot and ankle conditions. They are custom tailored for your feet to give you the support exactly where you need it most.

Your feet hold up the entire weight of your body. They need to be kept healthy and well-taken care of if they are to carry you around for many years. Custom-made orthotics can help you stay active and healthy while providing balance and stability to your body.

Contact Us Today

Choosing your custom-made orthotics starts with getting an assessment with Dr. Bhela. Our doctor is ready to work with you, one-on-one, to examine your concerns and provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. We strive to spend as much time as required to properly care for all our patients.

Our goal is always to provide the most comfortable clinic experience possible and get your happy feet back. For more information, call us, or request an appointment online. We serve patients in Hicksville, NY, and the surrounding areas.

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Contact Us For Any Queries

Have any questions or concerns? Our team at Restore Podiatry is here to help! Reach out to us anytime, and we’ll be happy to assist you with expert advice and personalized care.