What are orthotics?
We are starting to roll out orthotics in the clinic as we continue to notice that the foot is such an important part of the way people function.
Many complicated conditions can actually stem from the feet, and we believe that having the right support can provide relief for a lot of back pain issues.
As Chiropractors, we traditionally work on the spine and aligning the pelvis to get the spine in the best position to restore normal function, thus reducing pain and getting our clients back to more walking, be more active, independent and reducing their reliance on pain relief.
As our clients get back to doing more activity, which may be just walking, running or playing team sports, we often find that other areas lower down can start to cause pain such as the knees and ankles.
With the feet, there are many conditions such as plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus, bunions, corns that can develop from excess pressure or aberrant pressure going through the body, thus resulting in more pressure on one side of the foot.
One of the most common conditions you will see in the foot is a dropped arch. It can cause the knee to roll in, the hip to then rotate, thus putting pressure on the back. So if we just correct your back, yes, you may feel better. But as soon as you go back to that one-hour, two-hour walk, if the foot continues to roll in, it will cause pressure on the back in the long term.
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How do you know if you need orthotics?
We have a force plate which you walk upon and also do a static assessment which will show the weight going through the foot. We can then make judgements on which orthotic is going to be best in order to suit that person’s individual needs depending on how active and what their goals are.
The orthotic is then sent off to be made with the correct prescription, the right shape and size to build the support for the foot and the rest of the body and then let’s get back into the client’s footwear.
If any adjustments need to be made, we can send back and ensure these are made and we follow up in four weeks to do another assessment to ensure that changes are taking place, both subjectively and objectively with posture photographs and assessing the foot.
Orthotics have been around for many, many years, were traditionally prescribed by podiatrists, chiropractors and physiotherapists alike are increasingly attuned to using orthotics due to the amazing benefits they can have for their clients.
If you can unlock the spine and correct the gait pattern, the possibilities are endless and it will make a huge difference to one’s self. So if you think you are struggling with pronated arches, problems with the feet or if one of your shoes is wearing one size more than the other, then please let us know and we can book you in for an orthotic gait assessment where we can give you full data prescription readout in order for you to understand more about your feet.
If you would like any more information on how we can perform a full assessment for you, please click the link below. For January, we have 5 spaces available for our 30-pound offer. Please click here to book yourself in.