In a perfect world, the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot would always move together smoothly, shifting this way or that just the right amount, heel and toe engaged in a harmonious dance that allows you to move about with ease.
But the parts of your feet don’t always work harmoniously. In fact, it’s pretty rare that anyone would go through life without that dance of perfection getting tripped up. For example, bones are thrown out of alignment due to an injury – or because that’s just the way you were born. Podiatrists call this misalignment faulty foot mechanics or faulty biomechanics. When there’s something wrong with the motion of your foot, you’re eventually going to have pain of some kind.
At Montgomery Foot Care Specialists, Dr. Chanda L. Day-Houts and Dr. Heidi M. Christie have a tool at their disposal that does a great job of fixing abnormal motion and foot pain: custom orthotics.
What does an orthotic device do?
A foot orthotic is a device that’s placed inside your shoe. It works to actually change the mechanical function of your foot, restoring alignment and improving the way your feet move. Orthotics are great for helping to give support, relieve inflammation, and speed up the healing process of a host of conditions such as:
- plantar fasciitis and heel spurs
- metatarsalgia
- posterior tibial tendon dysfunction
- Achilles tendinitis
- ankle instability
- tarsal coalition
Mechanical problems of the foot can often show up as problems in other parts of the body. Your knee, hip, or back pain may actually be stemming from a foot issue. So orthotics can be credited with relieving pain in those parts of the body as well. Simply put, orthotic shoe inserts can improve the overall function of your body.
Get the right orthotics for YOU
Shoe inserts can be purchased over-the-counter at any drug store. However, the one-size-fits-all approach is not always the best. At Montgomery Foot Care Specialists, we use the QUADRASTEP® System of orthotics which allows us to identify and categorize your specific biomechanical issue, determine your specific foot type, and recommend one of 24 available inserts. We also offer custom-fit orthotics that are molded to your exact foot shape.
All of these healing orthotics are available for children as well as adults. Visit us at our office in Montgomery, Alabama to see if orthotics can help you. Make an appointment online or call us at (334) 396-3668.