Beyond Foot Pain: 5 Ailments that Can Be Alleviated with Custom Orthotics

Foot pain is the worst. Sure, it’s uncomfortable, but without treatment, it can also keep you from work and other activities you love. Consider custom orthotics if you’re tired of living on the sidelines. These devices can help you get back on your feet and significantly improve your quality of life.

Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates, located in Mission Viejo, California, and serving patients throughout South Orange County, our board-certified podiatrists regularly prescribe custom orthotics to treat foot pain. In this blog, we explain what custom orthotics are and highlight five conditions they can treat.

What are custom orthotics?

Custom orthotics are prescription shoe inserts. They look similar to the insoles you buy at the grocery store or pharmacy but are specifically designed for your feet. This makes them well-equipped to address various foot problems, including structural abnormalities, age-related changes, and general wear-and-tear.

Understanding the types of custom orthotics

We prescribe two types of custom orthotics here at Aloha Foot and Ankle. Depending on your symptoms, we might recommend:

Functional (rigid) orthotics

These orthotics are made of tough, inflexible materials like carbon fiber, graphite, and plastic. They slip inside close-toed shoes and relieve pain by controlling the way your foot moves.

Accommodative (soft) orthotics

Soft orthotics are made of padded, flexible materials. They form to the shape of your feet and provide a cushion. This makes them ideal for managing pain caused by blisters and diabetic foot ulcers.

5 common foot problems that can benefit from custom orthotics

Our board-certified podiatrists treat foot pain using conservative, noninvasive treatments whenever possible. We may prescribe custom orthotics if your pain is caused by:

1. Bunions

A bunion is a hard, bony bump that forms on the outside edge of your big toe joint. They’re most common in women who wear high heels and other shoes that squeeze the toes together.

Custom orthotics relieve bunion pain by reducing pressure on your swollen toe joint and improving weight distribution when you stand and walk. They also provide extra padding, reducing the risk of blisters and skin irritation.

2. Arthritis

About 1 in 6 Americans aged 50 and older has foot arthritis, a chronic condition that causes joint pain, stiffness, and mobility issues. 

Custom orthotics ease these symptoms by taking pressure off the bones and joints in your feet. They also correct gait and structural abnormalities that cause general wear-and-tear, preventing arthritis from worsening.

3. Flatfeet

Flatfeet is a structural abnormality that causes your arches to make direct contact with the ground. This puts extra strain on your feet, increasing the risk of pain and low mobility.

Orthotics address flatfeet by providing an extra cushion for your arches. This stabilizes your feet and improves their alignment, easing the strain on your lower body.

4. Hammertoe

A hammertoe occurs when there’s an imbalance in your toe muscles caused by injury, illness, or general wear-and-tear. The imbalance causes one or more toes to stay bent in a hammerhead-like position, increasing the risk of blisters, corns, and calluses.

Here, too, orthotics can provide relief. Specifically, they help straighten your toes and prevent them from bending abnormally. And, since orthotics help redistribute your upper body weight, you’re less likely to develop blisters.

5. Diabetic ulcers

About one-third of people with diabetes develop diabetic ulcers at one time or another. These slow-healing open wounds can make standing and walking painful, but custom orthotics can help.

That’s because they take pressure off painful ulcers, making it easier to stand and walk. Orthotics also help position your foot properly, reducing points of friction that cause skin breakage, and, in turn, diabetic ulcers.

Lasting relief from foot pain is possible. To see if you’re a candidate for custom orthotics, book a consultation with one of the experienced board-certified podiatrists at Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates. Call the office at (949) 364-2525, or request an appointment online.