When you visit a podiatrist, the first thing they will evaluate is your footwear and if it is affecting your foot health in any way. We do not put so much attention while buying footwear for us especially women who often wear narrow and tight shoes or high heels.

Bunions, calluses, blisters are some common conditions that develop because of uncomfortable shoes. You can also develop fungal infections if your footwear is not made of breathable fabric and is not allowed to dry out before you put it back again and carry on with your day.

The podiatrist at Dr. Sima Soltani Podiatry Clinic recommends custom orthotics in orange county for everyone who has flat feet. These feet do not have arch support and hence, which makes them more prone to injuries especially when involved in intense sports activities. Custom shoe inserts are also important for treating foot conditions like heel spurs and plantar fasciitis.

Benefits of custom foot orthotics

Podiatrists favor preventive and non-invasive treatment for common foot conditions which include physical therapy, stretching exercises, and the use of custom footwear.

The benefits of using orthotics are:

• Provides cushioning at the right spots especially for those who are on their feet the whole day or those involved in specific activities that put pressure on their feet.
• Certain orthotics are made to cause gradual repositioning of joints that were misaligned and causing pain.
• For those with flat feet, arch support is provided by special inserts.
• Custom footwear is essential during the recovery period after a foot or any other lower extremity surgery.
• Some painful conditions like arthritis, heel spurs, tendinitis, can get much-needed relief with the use of right orthotics.
• By properly aligning your movement during walking, orthotics can also heal back or hip pain originating from the feet.
• These are special aid for diabetics as they can prevent pressure ulcers.
• The use of the right footwear helps you in improving your performance while participating in specific sports activities.

Many podiatrists ensure that custom orthotics are made a part of regular footwear for people who suffer from problems related to blood circulation to avoid any added pressure that can result in difficult-to-treat foot conditions.

Flat feet and Orthotics – Necessity

Although there are many OTC orthotics and shoe inserts available in the pharmacies, the structure of every foot is different and customized footwear provides much better pain relief than the OTC ones.

Orthotics inserts are very important if you have flat feet and you are involved in sports activities.

If you are looking for sole inserts for your feet, consider the following factors while selecting the right one:

1. Flexibility:

• The insole should be flexible but not so much at the places where arch support is required.
• An insole that bends at the arch is not the right one for flat feet.

1. Size:

• Accurate sizing is very important. Otherwise, your risk of getting injured increases.

1. Volume:

• It depends on the activities that you are involved in.
• High volume is essential for intense activities like running. For regular walking, a low volume is sufficient.

Talk to your podiatrist in Irvine and let them examine your feet before they prescribe the right form of orthotics that is treatment-oriented for your specific condition and provide good support without worsening the problems.