Orthotic physiotherapy is a form of treatment which focuses on the feet – using special custom-made inserts which are designed to realign your feet and facilitate better movement.
When you really consider the basics of movement, whether it be walking in a straight line, up a set of stairs, or around a corner, it’s your feet which do all the work – and when something goes wrong with that most basic of foundations, it becomes very difficult to recover effectively.
Orthotic physiotherapy sees our patients and clients paired with a custom-made set of inserts which slip into their shoes and reset that foundation, making movement more comfortable and more manageable regardless of their underlying issue.
The benefit of orthotics
In order to understand the benefits of orthotics, you first need to know how they work and what exactly they do. When you walk in a pair of shoes which have an orthotic lining, your weight is more evenly distributed, and you alleviate the pressure which was previously being exerted on sore spots across your feet. By aligning each step and supporting the foot, full function is restored – making it both more comfortable and easier for patients to walk normally.
Beyond the obvious pain relieving benefits, the benefits of orthotics can be felt across the body – alleviating aches and pains in the legs and hips, improving your posture, and allowing you to get involved in sports and other activities that previously felt impossible.
The benefits are two-fold as they encompass both physical and mental well-being – all facilitated by an insert which is invisible when being worn inside your shoes.
Who needs orthotic physiotherapy?
So, who needs orthotics? If you find that you are living with a constant pain in your feet or legs, as a result of a misaligned step, underlying condition, or unusual stance on your feet when you walk, then orthotics can help. Correcting the position of your feet both when standing still and when moving has a knock-on effect as it improves posture, thereby relieving back pain and other aches, all while helping your body to function at its optimum potential.
If you’re experiencing aches and pains or have noticed that your shoes are becoming worn in unexpected areas, you could have alignment issues, which can be solved with orthotics. Booking an appointment is the first step to getting to the bottom of your issue.
Is this a quick fix or a long-lasting solution?
Both! The benefit of orthotics is that in many cases, they have a near-instant effect on your posture and on the position of your feet. Many clients find that when they walk with inserts, the pain is relieved almost instantly – with prolonged use of orthotics gradually improving their natural posture and the alignment of their feet.
In other cases, orthotics can take some time to get used to with some clients and patients finding the inserts difficult to adapt to – however, our team are always on hand to offer advice and tailored support if you need it.
