How Custom Orthotics Can Help Your Feet and Joints

When your feet hurt, it’s difficult to do the smallest tasks. Walking is vital to a busy lifestyle, so getting your pain under control is a must. If you’ve tried to rest your feet without success, custom orthotics may be the answer for your pain.

At Beltsville Foot and Ankle Center, located in the community of Beltsville, Maryland, our team gets you the care you need when your feet or ankles hurt. Dr. David Deiboldt is our in-house podiatry expert who offers customized orthotics for a number of foot and ankle conditions.

Understanding custom orthotics

Custom orthotics are a way to alleviate biomechanical issues in your feet and ankles. They’re custom-made devices that go inside your shoes to alleviate pain and problems when you walk or run. 

Unlike inserts that you can buy at the store, custom orthotics require either a prescription or a custom fitting to ensure they’re specifically designed for your feet. While inserts can certainly help mild cases of foot pain, orthotics are meant to correct the actual issue behind the pain.

There are different types of custom orthotics, which are determined by the type of foot problem you’re experiencing and the severity of your pain. 

Rigid orthotics are made from hard materials, such as carbon fiber or plastics. They’re necessary when you have pain that’s caused by your foot not working as it should.

Soft orthotics, on the other hand, are made from supple materials, and are designed to reduce pressure on areas that are causing pain. They may be used if you have pain from diabetic foot ulcers or other conditions causing sore areas on your foot.

Benefits of custom orthotics

When you’re suffering from foot and ankle pain, it’s important to correct the issue, not just cover it up. Custom orthotics have the ability to correct structural issues in your feet, as well as relieve pain.

Orthotics also help to ease the pressure that your feet feel on a daily basis. If you have arthritis and stand on your feet most of the day, these devices can greatly reduce pain and other issues related to arthritis.

If you’re a diabetic, custom orthotics can be a real life-saver. These devices help to reduce the chances of pressure ulcers on your feet, along with other issues caused by the disease.

The rest of your body can also benefit from custom orthotics. Many areas in your body rely on your feet in order to keep proper alignment and joint motion. When you have an issue with your feet, it can throw off areas of your body like your back and hips. 

Orthotics keep your feet healthy and improve mechanical issues in your ankles, which helps with pain and the functioning of your legs. They assist with athletic performance as well.

What conditions can custom orthotics help?

Orthotics are made to ease pain and discomfort caused by a number of conditions in your feet and ankles. They’re even sometimes prescribed to help with back pain if it’s related to an issue that stems in your legs.

Dr. Deiboldt thoroughly examines your feet and listens to your symptoms to decide if orthotics are a good choice for you. While they’re not a good choice for every condition, they can help pain related to problems such as:

• Arthritis
• Bursitis
• Diabetes
• Plantar fasciitis
• Heel pain
• Bunions
• Injuries
• Hammertoes

Custom orthotics can also help you when you have flat feet. In many cases, they can even delay or prevent surgery when it comes to the conditions that cause pain in your feet. 

When you’re dealing with foot pain, Dr. Deiboldt and his team help you determine if custom orthotics are the right route of treatment. If so, Dr. Deiboldt takes scans of your feet, which helps him get a map of your feet to send to a lab where your orthotic will be manufactured.

If you’d like to learn more about how custom orthotics can help your feet, call our office in Beltsville, Maryland at 301-804-1174, or book a consultation online today.