It all starts with the feet. Our feet support every move we make, providing stability and protection to our bones, joints and soft tissues whether we’re running, walking or standing. Injury, illness or degenerative conditions like osteoporosis or arthritis can throw us off balance, and trigger head-to-toe discomfort. Undiagnosed and untreated, these imbalances can lead to long-term pain as our bodies attempt to somehow compensate. Much like a car with misaligned wheels, our body’s imbalance can lead to premature wear on our own working parts, causing further injury, reduced mobility and long-term pain.
If our feet are incorrectly positioned, each step we take places uneven loading on different parts of your foot. If we’re standing for a long time, or are very active on our feet, this poor foot posture can leave us more prone to injury. If we’re already feeling pain, poor foot posture can make it more difficult to heal. Each step may continue to overload the injured site, thus slowing or preventing recovery.
Custom-made, flexible and functional orthotics from Greenapple Sports and Wellness can help restore that alignment, creating the necessary balance for comfortable movement. This balance helps to eliminate foot, knee, hip and lower back pain. Orthotics are successfully used to treat pain from low or high arches, shin splints, leg, knee and back pain. Wearing custom-made orthotics can often times eliminate pain without additional treatment. Other patients may require additional therapies, such as chiropractic adjustment, Active Release Technique (ART), Acupuncture, Dry Needling, cold or Class 4 Laser’s, or other treatments to restore musculoskeletal balance.
A thorough exam and biomechanical assessment are the first steps in determining whether orthotics can help you. Since custom-made orthotics are unique to your specific alignment needs, factor in the time for measurement, casting, manufacturing and refitting. Did you know? The cost of custom-made orthotics may also be covered by your health insurance or your health savings account (HSA). Remember: your HSA dollars expire at the end of the year! Consult your HSA plan administrator, or our insurance specialist at Greenapple Sports and Wellness.