Orthotics

Having Troubles Walking? A Custom Orthotic May Help.

Do You Need a Custom Orthotic?

Did you know that as you age, your feet will often change? Changes in the shape of your feet, the support of your ligaments, and complications from previous injuries can all cause strain and pain.

Does pain in your legs or feet make it difficult to get through the day? Are you noticing yourself trying to stay off your feet as much as possible?

If this is the case, custom orthotics at Lycoming Physical Therapy could make your daily tasks much more comfortable and easier to achieve. Custom orthotics provide extra support and relief for your feet.

Does this sound like something that could benefit you? Contact our Muncy or Montoursville, PA physical therapy practice for an appointment and learn more about how we can help relieve your foot pain with custom orthotics.

Reasons your feet may be hurting…

Problems with your feet can be caused by several conditions directly related to the feet. General ailments and diseases that affect the body as a whole can also lead to foot pain.

The following are several examples of conditions or diseases that can be the cause of foot pain. These conditions can all be treated with physical therapy:

Metatarsalgia

This condition is often caused by ill-fitting footwear or restrictive footwear. This is a painful disorder that affects the joints and bones along with the ball of the foot.

Orthotics are usually recommended to help reduce pain caused by metatarsalgia.

Heel Spurs

Many of the same risk factors that cause plantar fasciitis can also cause heel spurs. This is a bony protrusion on the heel that is usually made of some sort of calcium build-up.

While the actual spurs are not painful they can poke the tissues in the heel and potentially cause severe pain.

Plantar Fasciitis

This condition can be caused by obesity, age, and standing for long periods of time on your feet.

It occurs through pain felt along the sole of the foot; and in particular, the area that connects the heel bone to the toes.

This is due to thick tissues along the bottom of the feet becoming tightened or inflamed. Pain can occur in the heel or the arch of the foot.

Diabetes

Diabetes can lead to foot problems because of restricted blood flow and nerve damage. When nerves are damaged through diabetes this is referred to as neuropathy, which can be particularly painful to deal with.

When the muscles in the foot no longer function together properly this can cause unequal pressure on the foot.

Unequal pressure can result in sores, infections, and even amputation in extreme cases. Proper footwear can help prevent foot problems related to diabetes.

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common diseases. It is a debilitating joint disease that can affect the joints throughout the foot. Stiffness and swelling in the joints can eventually lead to permanent damage. This can affect the way you stand or walk.

Other potentially treatable conditions include patellofemoral knee pain, shin splints, Achilles tendonitis, and bunions, as well as numerous systemic pathologies that (like diabetes) affect the function of the lower limbs.

The good news? Physical therapy services can provide treatment to relieve pain and improve whatever condition you’re suffering from that is affecting your feet.

What do custom orthotics do?

Custom orthotic inserts will improve how your feet and lower legs feel and function.

Orthotics resemble insoles but are specifically crafted and made of materials that will last longer than prefabricated orthotics. They are devices that are individually created to uniquely fit your feet.

Although custom orthotics are more expensive than off-the-shelf devices, they last much longer and provide more support or correction.

There are generally three types of custom orthotics, including:

Functional.

These will help your feet to move in a more desirable way or bear weight in a way that will help you move and walk better.

Accommodative.

These are created to help you relieve the stress on joints that is often caused by conditions such as arthritis.

Therapeutic.

If the shape of your feet is irregular, these types of orthotics can assist heel support, forward movement, and general stability.

Benefits of custom orthotics

Quality orthotics can alleviate pressure, eliminate pain, and promote stability. It’s important to receive custom orthotics that are created to fit the exact shape of your foot in order to receive the maximum benefits.

As physical therapists, we are specifically trained in musculoskeletal movement and have extensive knowledge of gait analysis and biomechanics of the lower extremities.

Our physical therapist will take into consideration your current medical conditions and activity level when providing the best custom orthotics.

Our trained Muncy & Montoursville, PA physical therapist can give you a comprehensive orthotic evaluation. He or she will provide a custom fitting to determine what will work best for your feet.

We can provide you with orthotics that uniquely fit the contours of your feet, giving you the maximum amount of function, support, and comfort.

After your evaluation and fitting, it will likely take a few weeks for your custom orthotics to come back from the lab.

After you have received your orthotics it will likely be necessary to provide an ongoing assessment of how your orthotics are working. Fine-tuning may be needed to provide the best results possible, but understand that our physical therapists are with you every step of the way to make sure your end goal is reached!

Call our clinic to find out if custom orthotics could help you today!

Contact Lycoming Physical Therapy today to learn how our customized orthotics can benefit you. You deserve to live a life free of pain, especially in your feet. We know you have places to go and things to do, and we want to make sure you feel your absolute best and light on your feet!