If the Shoe Fits...

How do your feet feel at the end of the day? Are they tired? Sore? Do they feel as though you have hiked to the top of a mountain in bare feet? Chances are you have walked many miles throughout your day and those feet are asking for some attention.

During normal gait the body goes through a series of reactions and adaptation to the way in which the foot meets the ground. If the foot is abnormally aligned, the other joints, including the mid-foot, ankle, knee, hip and sacro-iliac, have to accommodate in order to maintain balance. This accommodation may place an abnormal stress on the joint surfaces, ligaments and tendons that may, in turn, result in pain. Some common problems that may be associated with abnormal foot alignment include plantarfascitis, heel spurs, metatarsalgia, chondromalacia, and sacroilitis.

One way to avoid the chain-reaction of a malaligned foot is to use an orthotics device, which controls the way the foot meets the ground. Worn inside the shoe, the orthotics is made to accommodate the foot and to create a more normal gait pattern.

There are many types of foot orthoses. Some are prefabricated for common foot deformities such as pes plannus or “flat feet”. Others are fabricated from a mold of the foot to accommodate more specific deformities.

Foot orthoses can be obtained from a Physical Therapist. A prescription from your doctor is necessary for a Physical Therapist to fabricate the orthoses.  

To consult with one of our doctors at Orthopedic Associates of Port Huron, please call (810) 985-4900 or schedule an appointment online.