Finding Your Perfect Match: Orthotics and Heel Pain

When it comes to solving the problem of heel pain, sometimes the answer is almost like a fairy tale.

Do you remember the story of Cinderella and how her glass slipper was a perfect fit only to her? Anyone else who tried the slipper on found it just wouldn’t do anything for them. Others found it even caused them pain.

The slippers were meant only to fit Cinderella, and ended up being the key to her living a happy, comfortable life. We feel the same thing may happen if you have heel pain that’s treatable through custom orthotics!

They’re not going to help you become royalty, of course. Also, they do not come in glass—that’s just a terrible material to shove your feet into. What does make custom orthotics “magical,” however, is how each pair is made to fit and help only the one they were made for.

Writing a Good Ending to a Tragic Backstory

Custom-made orthotics are not the go-to form of treatment for every type of heel pain. You will often find them under consideration when the pain is being caused by some form of structural abnormality. This can include conditions such as flat feet, high arches, or even bunions and hammertoes.

When the foot is not typically shaped, the way that weight is distributed over it can shift. Instead of an even distribution while we stand or walk, the weight can build up and overstress certain areas. These stressed areas can become inflamed or injured, causing painful condition such as plantar fasciitis.

In some cases, an abnormal foot structure can lead to uneven distributions of forces higher up the body as it tries to adjust for balance. This can lead to ankle, knee, hip, or back pain as well.

Custom orthotics address these imbalances and their symptoms by providing cushioning, support, and redistribution of weight in a way that is exactly needed by the patient.

A Match Made in Heaven (with a Stop in a Lab)

There are many different ways foot problems can cause pain, so there are different forms of orthotics to address them. We recommend custom, full-contact forthotics casted by a physician.

The Sole Supports custom orthotics we use in our office conform thoroughly to your arch for support and are engineered to control foot function, not just cushion it. These orthotics capture the foot in the ideal position for weight-bearing activities to prevent pain and injury.

The final composition and shape of a custom-made orthotic is made after a thorough examination of your condition and other factors surrounding your life and foot care needs.

We don’t just want to know about the shape of your foot; we want to know all about how you might use an orthotic in daily life, what shoes you will use them in (please bring them along!) and whether any adjacent factors might influence its effectiveness.

Each custom-orthotic is a specialized prescription for the patient. It is made with an exact model of your feet and produced in a lab based on our exact specifications for providing the correction and comfort you need.

The kind of orthotics we turn to are designed by a team of engineers to ensure total contact with the sole of each foot, providing as much cushioning as possible when you use them inside of your shoes.

You can’t say the same for orthotics you buy in a store. They’re not molded to your exact specifications, which means they often have plenty of gaps and inadequacies. They’re just like trying Cinderella’s glass slipper on yourself—they’re just not made for you!

Custom-made orthotics are also going to last a lot longer. When they do need replaced or refurbished, we can adjust your prescription if necessary to adapt to any potential changes in your feet.

Pain-free Dreams Do Come True!

Regardless of how long you have been suffering from heel pain, custom orthotics may be able to help you find the relief you need. And if orthotics are not the path to happiness, then another treatment will be.

The truth of the matter is that heel pain is never a normal part of someone’s story. In the vast majority of cases, the causes behind that pain can be discovered and properly addressed to improve the quality of one’s life. That means more comfort and confidence in work, at school, on the field, or just walking through everyday life!

Our office in Medford is open every weekday to serve all your foot and ankle needs. Schedule an appointment by calling (609) 714-0052 or filling out our online contact form.