The effect of footwear on orthotics and your feet

The importance of footwear & orthotics

Shoes are a very important part of our everyday life. They are essential for:

• Providing protection from the environment and physical dangers
• Keeping us active; running, walking, playing sports and more
• Provide us with balance and stability
• Helping to prevent injuries, recover from injuries and reducing wear and tear of joints
• Looking fashionable (of course!)

Orthotics also help protect our feet by:

• improving our gait
• preventing and helping recover from injuries
• improving foot function and posture

For those with orthotics, getting the balance of the correct shoes with the correct orthotic is very important.

Why is the right shoe important?

To start with the obvious, your shoes should be comfortable and the appropriate fit. Depending on your foot type, you may be suited to a shoe with extra support (pronator) or you may be more suited to a shoe that has more cushioning and less support (neutral).

Being in the wrong shoe type can lead to issues such as pain, instability, excess shoe wear and injuries. The key is to get the shoes correct from the get go. From then, if you use an orthotic, making sure the shoe and orthotic combination is correct is vital. The wrong shoe can cause an orthotic to function incorrectly, undoing all the good your orthotic is doing, resulting in pain and injuries.

Over correction

One of the main issues we see with footwear is overcorrection. Over correction is when a shoe (or an orthotic in some cases) provides too much support to the foot and ankle. Too much support can prevent optimum foot function. This can lead to problems such as lateral foot and ankle pain, reduced balance and stability.

More often than not we are finding people who are presenting with issues that relate more to over correction from shoes rather than orthotics. We often find a simple change of footwear that better suits your foot and gait can make major improvements in function which can help resolve symptoms. This often results in getting even more out of your orthotic now that your foot is in a shoe that is suited to your foot type.

What you should look out for if your shoes are over corrective

Signs to look out for that could indicate your shoes are over corrective and need assessment:

• Notable wear on the lateral sole of the shoe
• Inbuilt arch of a shoe is pressing uncomfortably into the arch of your foot
• An orthotic:
  • feels like it is pushing you out too much laterally
  • is digging in or pressing uncomfortably up into the arch
  • is causing wear marks along the arch of the foot
  • doesn’t sit flat in the shoe
• Feeling unbalanced or unstable in shoes
• Shoes are too soft or compressed laterally

How do our podiatrists assess this condition?

As podiatrists, we are trained to assess your footwear, orthotics, foot type and perform gait analysis to determine where the issue originates from. We can recommend what to look for and what to avoid in shoes and even provide examples of suitable footwear for your feet, particularly for walking and exercise given they are the times most people will have trouble with their feet. We can then ensure your orthotic is functioning optimally in combination with your shoes to keep you up and about and on your feet pain free.

At Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics we are thorough in our assessment of footwear and making sure you are in the right shoes to keep you pain free. Our Melbourne podiatrists understand the effects of footwear on the feet and are experienced with ensuring your footwear functions correctly in combination with your orthotics. This helps achieve optimum foot function and usually leads to a reduction in symptoms.

Are your shoes over corrective for your feet?

At our Melbourne foot clinic our podiatrists are experts in biomechanics and gait analysis. Our podiatrists can help prescribe accurate orthotics and footwear so your foot functions at its optimum.

So if you suffer from foot pain and you haven’t recently had your footwear or orthotics checked, book an appointment with one of our friendly podiatrists today!