What are orthotics?
Orthotics are custom insoles, designed to be worn in your shoes to relieve foot pain and are commonly used by podiatrists and health professionals for the treatment of heel pain and plantar fasciitis.
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How are orthotics used to treat heel pain?
Heel pain is frequently caused by misalignment of the foot or stress on the muscles and tissue. Orthotics act to hold the foot in place, reducing this stress and essentially causing the foot to sit in the correct position by shaping it around the insole.
While orthotics may relieve heel pain while being worn, they rely on manually positioning the foot in place and do not assist in strengthening the muscles of the foot or correcting the misalignment that is the underlying cause of heel pain. This means that to be effective orthotics must continue to be worn long term.
What are the issues with orthotics?
While they are a common treatment option orthotics have a number of issues and restrictions such as:
- They require shoes to be deep enough and to be enclosed in order to hold the orthotics in place, meaning they are usually only appropriate for lace up, closed shoes
- Women find orthotics particularly challenging as they don’t fit many shoe styles, restricting footwear choices
- They don’t change the alignment of your foot long term, which means that in order to avoid pain, you have to stay in the orthotics forever
- They don’t strengthen your feet, so you never become self-reliant
- They can be hard and difficult to get used to
- They can blister the arch of the foot or rub uncomfortably
- They often require custom prescriptions which are costly to make. The prescription of your orthotics also often needs to be updated over time, creating additional expense.
What is the alternative to orthotics?
The first step to successful heel pain treatment is to assess and determine the underlying cause of the pain. By identifying the specific misalignment, stress or inflammation and which parts of your foot are affected, we can determine an effective treatment plan, that will provide ongoing relief.
Alternative Foot Solutions utilise foot mobilisation, a gentle hands-on technique that corrects the alignment of the foot and in doing so, treats the underlying cause of your pain. It is a combination of hands-on techniques that change the alignment of the joints, stimulate the nervous system and strengthen the muscles that support those joints long term.
The benefits of foot mobilisation over orthotics are:
- No footwear restrictions, so you can keep wearing the shoes you love
- You can keep being active and exercising
- Changes the misalignment in your feet so that you address the underlying cause long term
- Improves nervous system function and strengthens the muscles of your feet
- You can walk barefoot
- You have better balance
- It improves your posture, reducing the occurrence of related complications such as knee and hip pain
Alternative Foot Solutions have treated thousands of patients in Strathfield and surrounds using foot mobilisation therapy for over 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I decrease my dependence on orthotics?
Foot mobilisation podiatry coaxes your feet and body back to health by encouraging the joints of your feet to move through their natural range of motion. This corrects the position of your feet with movement and provides permanent physiological improvements. Unlike orthotics, which only work when you wear them, foot mobilisation changes the structure of your feet so your condition continues to improve with time.
How does Foot Mobilisation Therapy work?
The treatment is a gentle series of movements through the joints of your feet guided by the podiatrist's hands in a controlled movement. These movements may also include your hips and knees.
Is Foot Mobilisation Therapy painful?
Generally-no. Sometimes initial mobilisations may be uncomfortable due to restriction within a joint but generally, the treatment is pain free.
Do I have to change my shoes?
No, not at all. This is the big advantage of foot mobilisation therapy (FMT). Because the change is intrinsic, it does not restrict your choice of footwear. FMT is not reliant on devices like orthotics.
Is my activity restricted during treatment?
Generally, no. We actually encourage you to continue normal levels of activity. This allows us to monitor the treatment's effectiveness.
How long do I have to continue the treatment for?
Our goal is to make you as self-sufficient as possible after the initial treatment period. The advantage is that we focus on the cause of your pain by improving the alignment of your joints, and strengthening the muscles supporting those joints rather than trying to accommodate the problem, as other styles of treatment do.
New Patient Heel Pain Assessment
Only $35* Usually $100
*Claimable on your private health insurance