What To Consider When Selecting Your Orthotics

Foot pain is a common complaint, and without treatment, chronic and acute symptoms can have a big impact on your regular routine, making it a lot more difficult — and uncomfortable — to do many of your regular activities. Even something as simple as walking or climbing stairs can become a painful chore. And depending on how bad your symptoms are, you might need to give up some activities altogether.

Fortunately, plenty of people with foot pain can find relief for their symptoms with custom orthotics, special shoe inserts designed to relieve pressure on your feet, rebalance your gait, and provide the right amount and type of support for your entire foot. In fact, orthotics are so good at what they do, they can even help relieve painful symptoms in your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. At Kazmer Foot & Ankle Center, we offer state-of-the-art custom foot orthotics designed on a patient-by-patient basis for the best possible results. If you’re considering custom orthotics, here are three important factors to think about during the fitting and selection process.

Discuss all your symptoms

Because orthotics can correct a lot of problems, including problems affecting your back and legs, it’s important to thoroughly review all the issues you’re having so your new orthotics can be designed to provide complete relief. Don’t hold back. Even if your primary concern is, say, a bunion, if you’re also having symptoms in your ankles, pain along the side of your foot, or aching in your lower back, mention those problems as well so your gait and foot can be evaluated as a possible cause of your symptoms. During the evaluation and fitting process, we’ll take plenty of measurements, and by having a complete understanding of your symptoms and concerns, we can make sure your orthotics are designed for maximum comfort and optimal results.

Think about the shoes you wear

When most people think of orthotics, they think of clunky, uncomfortable, super-obvious products that make them feel self-conscious or uncomfortable, products that restrict them from wearing certain types of shoes. But actually, today’s orthotics are super comfortable, lightweight, and very durable — and what’s more, they can be designed to fit many types of footwear discreetly, including athletic shoes and dress shoes — even high heels. Think about the shoes you wear on a regular basis — work shoes, casual shoes, athletic shoes, shoes you wear to do chores and yard work, and special occasion shoes. Depending on the symptoms you have (and the shoes you wear most often), you can have orthotics made to fit all your shoes so you can always walk in comfort, with the support your feet need to feel great.

Over-the-counter vs. custom: Know the difference

One of the biggest questions people have when considering orthotics is, why choose custom when over-the-counter shoe inserts are cheaper? There are a few reasons, and they all have to do with differences in design and construction. Over-the-counter inserts that you can buy in stores and online are designed to fit large numbers of people. They’re not based on your foot shape (no, not even the inserts that ask you to step on a platform to “match” you to the right product). Instead, they’re made using very general principles which, while they might provide some immediate relief, can’t help you achieve long-term relief for your symptoms. What’s worse, because they’re not fitted for your foot and your symptoms, over-the-counter inserts can even wind up making your problem worse or creating a new problem and new symptoms.

As for cost, yes, inserts from a store might be cheaper at first, but because of the materials they use, they’ll break down a lot faster than custom inserts from our office, which are made of really durable materials and designed to last for many years. Over-the-counter inserts need to be replaced often, and that means in the long run, your custom orthotics can be much more budget-friendly. Plus, many insurance plans cover part or all of the cost of custom orthotics, making them an even better value.

Don’t let foot pain interfere with your life. Custom orthotics from Kazmer Foot & Ankle Center could be just what you need to relieve your painful symptoms and get back to the activities you love. To learn more about the orthotics we offer, book an appointment online today.