Orthotics and Chiropractic TreatmentOrthotics Foot Posture and Chiropractic TreatmentOrthotics also known as insoles, orthoses or shoe inserts, are designed to correct foot posture and abnormal or irregular walking patterns.
Foot orthotics are not just “arch supports,” although this term is often used to describe them. They perform functions that make your everyday activities more comfortable and efficient, by altering the angles at which the feet strike the ground when standing, walking, jogging, running and jumping. What Are Orthotics?Orthotics are shaped insoles placed inside shoes with the purpose of restoring natural foot movement. This is necessary when the natural balance of our lower body has been disrupted by, for instance, over-pronation.
Many common complaints such as heel pain, knee pain and lower back pain can be caused by poor foot mechanics. Why Should I See a Chiropractor For Orthotics?Traditionally most people would go to a podiatrist or chiropodist to have orthotics fitted. So. why should I see a Chiropractor for Orthotics? The Chiropractors at the ISIS Chiropractic Centres are trained in fitting custom orthotics and can determine if you require orthotics. Chiropractors treat the whole body and can determine how the use of orthotics can complement our treatment for, for example, a back, hip, knee or ankle problem. We also use specific mobilization and manipulation techniques to the feet to ensure that areas of restricted movement are released, which will have an effect on how your feet are functioning and will help your problem resolve better. It doesn’t make sense to just put an orthotic in a shoe without both using manipulation to clear the restrictions in your foot and give specific exercises to strengthen the supportive musculature. For example, if you came to us complaining of back pain, we would not just give you a back support belt and leave you to it. We would combine manipulation and exercise in order to try and restore you back to full and normal function and give you an exercise programme to strengthen the supportive core musculature. We apply the same principle to all muscle- and joint problems, which works really well.  For enquiries please call: Milton Keynes: 01908 307075 So why use orthotics at all?Why not just use manipulation and exercise? Well, we do. When it is appropriate. Not all people need orthotics. But if the ligaments and muscles are not strong enough to support the foot to prevent further injury when you are weight bearing, then you need a support for the foot.
In the same way, we would give you a back support belt if your back is so unstable that you regularly injure it doing basic activities, or to use when you do things that are more demanding for your back. Custom orthotics are inserts that are specially moulded to your feet. The best orthotic is one designed around your feet and how they move. This is best done in the clinic with the treating chiropractor who can customise your orthotics. We have decided to use ICB orthotics because they are of good quality, easy to customize to your feet, comfortable, easily fit in existing shoes and are reasonably priced. If you want to find out more about the price of ICB orthotics at the ISIS Chiropractic Centres click here. How Exactly Do Orthotics Work?First of all, orthotics do a lot more than support the arches of the feet. Orthotics realign the feet and ankles and restore deficient foot function. In addition, orthotics enable a more even weight distribution, taking pressure off sore spots at the heels, balls of the feet, between toes, at bunions and soles of the feet. They also provide a degree of shock absorption, but this is not their main purpose. The main purpose of an orthotic insole is to improve foot function, in many cases reducing pain and preventing problems and injuries in the future. Orthotics can offer you pain relief! If you suffer from foot and leg problems such as flat feet, bunions, heel, shin or leg pain you can gain better quality of life and if you are doing sports, it is likely to help you improve your performance. Whether you're an athlete, spend your days on your feet or just want to be more active, orthotics can make you enjoy life more! Orthotics are not just used for foot and ankle pain. They are also used to help you if you have knee, hip and back pain. By aligning the foot correctly, it helps to distribute the forces more evenly through the foot, ankle, knee, hip and back. However, you don’t have to be in pain before considering orthotics. It can be a measure to help you prevent pain too. If you try our orthotics you will be amazed how comfortable they are and how comfortable your feet will be after a long day on your feet. Are orthotics for me?Biomechanical problems affecting the feet can increase stresses within the foot structures and the surrounding soft tissues, creating localised pain in the feet and ankles as well as problems in the lower limbs, knees, hips and back. Orthotics allow joints to be aligned correctly and promote efficient transmission of the forces of standing, walking, jogging, running and jumping. And as a result a foot orthotic therefore helps to:
At ISIS Chiropractic Clinics we have a holistic approach to any biomechanical problem. We understand that the problem may not always be located around the area of the body where you have pain. In some cases the problem may lie in a number of areas, such as pelvic dysfunction, leg length discrepancies, tight or poorly toned muscles as well as poor posture. We can use foot orthotics to improve posture and accommodate for leg length discrepancy. If we do not find that your problem is caused by your foot position or poor biomechanics, we will not prescribe foot orthotics. At ISIS Chiropractic Clinics we are able to offer a Complete Posture Assessment, gait analysis and ICB-Medical Foot Control Orthotics. If you want to find out more about the price of ICB orthotics at the ISIS Chiropractic Centres click here. For enquiries please call: Milton Keynes: 01908 307075 What Specific Conditions May Be Helped?Correction of poor foot biomechanics with orthotics can improve and prevent many types of pain conditions and symptoms such as: Achilles tendonitis, metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of the foot), sesamoiditis, toe pain, ankle pain, tibialis dysfunction, impingement syndrome, plantar fasciitis, neuroma, tendonitis, policeman’s heel, heel spur, pronation, bunions, shin pain (compartment syndrome, shin splints), knee pain (chondromalacia patellae, patello-femoral syndrome). Who Needs Orthotics?The need to use an orthotic is based on your foot posture and how your feet move. Imbalances can occur from flat feet or even one foot being flatter than the other. Problems are rarely symmetrical. People who stand or walk all day will benefit from orthotics. If you suffer from pain during any form of sport or exercise then orthotics can reduce the pain associated with your condition. For overweight individuals, orthotics will help to counteract the extra stress being placed on the feet. You can do a quick assessment yourself following this list:
In our chiropractic centres we will check your foot posture, using certain tests and using motion palpation (check how the individual bones in your feet move) in order to determine if orthotics would be a solution to your problem. How Are Orthotics Different From Regular Shoe Insoles?There is a significant difference between regular insoles and orthotics. Regular insoles are purely designed to provide a cushioning effect and shock absorption. They may feel comfortable at first, however they do not address any biomechanical problems - they are not designed to correct over-pronation. On the other hand, orthotics are a functional device, designed to correct and optimise foot function. What is pronation?The most common form of bad foot biomechanics is over-pronation, which is the dropping of the arches and rolling inwards of the feet and ankles, causing flat feet. It is estimated that 70% of people in the western world are affected by over-pronation. This condition presents itself in varying degrees of severity, with some people over-pronating more than others.
The fact that so many of us suffer from over-pronation due to fallen arches can be contributed to the hard and flat surfaces we walk on daily. Other factors that play a role include age, weak ankles and excess body weight. As a result, over-pronation is much more prevalent in people above the age of fifty as well as those who are overweight. Over-pronation doesn't pose a serious problem in the short term, especially for younger people. However, abnormal foot function over a period of time can lead to serious foot problems like heel pain, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of the foot). Foot problems can also cause pain else ware in the body. For example, an over-pronated foot will make the leg rotate inwards (internal rotation) which in turn may have repercussions further up your leg and lower back. As you compensate for the pronated foot you are likely to feel symptoms of aches and pains as far away as the knees, hips and the low back. Orthotics are an effective and inexpensive solution to the over-pronation problem. Buying a pair of orthotics can be a worthwhile investment to your health as they can prevent many problems. Why Do We Need Customised Orthotics?Customised orthotic insoles are shaped to accommodate and align your feet and to correct and realign your foot and anklebones to their neutral position, restoring natural foot function. Off-the-peg orthotics are set to an average foot, which might be OK for some people. But for the best results we recommend to have your orthotics customised. For many of our patients we fit the ICB orthotic as it is ‘out of the box’ to allow their feet to get used to the new position and then, at a later date, customise them. Because of the superior design of the ICB orthotics it is not surprising that many people find them better than other orthotics even without the customisation. The customisation process is relatively quick and easy with ICB orthotics and that is why we can keep the cost down to a minimum. We think you will find that the ISIS Chiropractic Centres customisation of your orthotics is good value for money. If you want to find out more about the price of ICB orthotics at the ISIS Chiropractic Centres click here. This may help alleviate problems not only in the feet, but also in other parts of the body, such as the knees, hips and lower back. Can I Wear Orthotics During All Daily Activities?Yes you can, but it is important that you gradually build-up the time using orthotics.Your feet need time to adjust to their new correct biomechanical position. Orthotics must be gradually used to begin with. During the first 48 hours, use the orthotics for approximately 3-4 hours. After this period of time it is recommended you use the orthotics for 6-8 hours. In the second week of use the orthotics can be worn all day. In SummaryEach foot is an engineering masterpiece. The foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. We tend to take this for granted until something goes wrong and we develop pain. Biomechanical problems affecting the feet can increase stresses within the foot structures and the surrounding soft tissues, creating localised pain in the feet and ankles as well as problems in the lower limbs, knees, hips and back. Orthotics allow joints to be aligned correctly and promote efficient transmission of the forces of standing, walking, jogging, running and jumping. And as a result a foot orthotic therefore helps to: * Reduce pain * Provide support * Prevent or halt the development of foot deformity * Provide better positioning * Relieve pressure on a certain area of the foot * Improve the overall biomechanical function of the foot * Reduce lower limb torsion and stress on the knees At ISIS Chiropractic Clinics we have a holistic approach to any biomechanical problem. We understand that the problem may not always be located around the area of the body where you have pain. In some cases the problem may lie in a number of areas, such as pelvic dysfunction, leg length discrepancies, tight or poorly toned muscles as well as poor posture. If we do not find that your problem is caused by your foot position or poor biomechanics, we will not prescribe foot orthotics. At ISIS Chiropractic Clinics we are able to offer a Complete Posture Assessment, gait analysis and ICB-Medical Foot Control Orthotics. If you want to find out more about the price of ICB orthotics at the ISIS Chiropractic Centres click here. For enquiries please call: Milton Keynes: 01908 307075 Go to ISIS Chiropractic Home Page
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