By Earlene McGee


Nearly three-quarters of the adult population has experienced the intense pain of a foot or ankle injury, and many people turn to over-the-counter shoe inserts in an effort to find relief. Although helpful in some cases, individually designed orthotic devices are often more effective. Custom Orthotics in Longmont CO focuses on personalized needs and requirements when creating devices intended to speed the process of healing.

In general terms, orthotics is a sub-category of medical care that involves using splints, braces, or any type of external device that helps people function more normally when in motion. They are used primarily to counteract problems in the feet and lower extremities, including hips, knees, and ankles. They work by reducing strains on the injured area, help prevent re-injury, and encourage proper bone alignment.

There are significant differences in the types of pain affecting the foot. Patients experiencing diabetes often develop slowly healing sores, and calluses or bones spurs are a common occurrence for active people. Both types of pain respond to to an accommodating insert. An accommodating devices relieves pressure around a sore or injury, making standing and walking possible while encouraging mobility.

When the pain is a result of an abnormal structure not related to injury, a podiatrist might recommend a functional device. A functional insert produces more than a pillow effect, and is often made of substances that are flexible but stronger than simple foam, including plastics and composites. They are created from three-dimensional foot models, and used to fight related pain in hips or knees as well as feet.

Both orthopedists and podiatrists use biomechanical examinations to produce a beneficial device, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. This type of analysis is meant to detail how a particular person moves when walking or running. All people are slightly different, and those variations must be taken into account when recovering from the effects of surgery to remove heel spurs, hammertoes, or bunions.

The advantages gained from creating a personalized fit based on a model include the possibility of correcting different problems on either foot when necessary. The materials used fit individual body contours perfectly, providing greater support and reducing collateral irritations. They are often effective in treating problems related to flat aches, and are used to eliminate childhood bone structure problems that prove problematic during adulthood.

Although there has been controversy regarding the efficacy of these types of orthotic devices, it often involved commercially sold products that were not designed by a physician. Doctors have prescribed this type of therapy for several decades, and it has proven effective in many cases. Patients with problems walking due to plantar pain issues experience more mobility, and older people may feel more balanced when walking.

In some cases, devices designed to provide ankle support have prevented elderly people from falls, a leading cause of life-threatening injury. Although not appropriate for everyone, people of all ages who have foot and ankle pain that results in a loss of mobility can be helped by wearing personalized orthotic devices. They allow injuries to heal more quickly and naturally, help people regain normal mobility, and provide added comfort and relief during the process.




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