Orthopedic insoles are often used to correct violations of the normal position of the feet with hallux valgus and to prevent this problem. These medical devices not only relieve the load from various parts of the leg, but also eliminate the pain syndrome that often occurs with pathology. Today, there are many companies on the medical products market offering orthopedic insoles to potential consumers. How to choose the right product and save money? When does it become necessary to purchase a product? What types of orthopedic insoles are divided into with valgus deformity? What are the reviews and opinions of people using this product? The reader will find answers to these and other questions in the materials of our article.
What it is?
Hallux valgus deformity of the lower limb is the process of changing the shape of the foot and, as a result, the violation of the normal position of the leg. This disease is a specific and very common pathology. To correct the manifestations of the disease, special medical products are used - orthopedic insoles, orthopedic, hallux valgus and so on. The use of one or another module depends on the affected area of the lower extremities. Pathology can affect the area from the first toe to the femoral neck.
Hallux valgus is a disease in which the position of the metatarsophalangeal joint is disrupted, as a result of which the thumb is displaced. This violation leads to a change in the position of the remaining toes.
Flat-valgus deformity of the foot is colloquially called flatfoot and manifests itself in a change in the direction of the axis of the foot. This disease develops in childhood, but the cause of the violation can be both congenital pathologies and acquired ones - injuries due to fractures or rupture of ligaments; excess weight, leading to increased stress on the joints; paralytic conditions caused by a complication of osteomyelitis, etc.
Damage to the leg, ankle, femoral neck
Hallux valgus deformity develops from infancy and may be due to the fact that the child began to get up early or the parents allowed the baby to be in a standing position for a long time. In infancy, the muscles and ligaments are not strong enough, and the increased load on them subsequently leads to a deviation of the correct position of the axis of the legs. As a result, the distance between the knees is reduced, the lower leg is shifted inward, and the legs become x-shaped.
Initial changes affect the knee joints. The child may be capricious and ask for arms, complain of fatigue and pain in the legs. If measures are not taken to correct the situation, a neglected pathology can lead to a curvature of the spine of the child. Hallux valgus deformity is a displacement of the heel to the outside and obstruction of the foot inward.
With valgus deformity of the femoral neck , an increase in the cervical-diaphyseal angle occurs. Pathology in most cases is congenital and can occur against a background of hip dysplasia or a hip injury, and also be a consequence of disorders of the nervous system. Hallux valgus is often combined with leg or foot deformity.
Degree of violation
As noted earlier, valgus deformity of the feet is a pathology of the position of the foot, which leads to the fact that the height of the foot decreases and its central axis is bent. The toes together with the heel are twisted out. A symptom of pathology is not only a cosmetic defect, which is very noticeable, but also serious disorders in the body, for example, chronic bursitis, deforming arthrosis, etc. Shoes with an orthopedic insole often act as an auxiliary corrective agent for this pathology.
Bursitis is a joint disease in which the mucous membranes of the bags in the joints become inflamed. Deforming arthrosis is a pathology due to which the cartilage tissue of the joints is destroyed.
There are three degrees of hallux valgus in accordance with the angle between the first finger and the connective or metatarsal bone. In the first degree, a subluxation of the foot occurs in patients. The second degree of hallux valgus leads to displacement of the tendons on the thumb. The third degree of pathology is due to the fact that bone tissue in the affected area does not cope with the functional load.
Why does the disease arise and what to do?
There are a number of factors that lead to the occurrence of pathological changes in the body, among them we can distinguish:
- overweight, creating additional stress on the joints;
- genetic factor - weak tendons;
- hormonal disorders (e.g., menopause or inadequate / excessive thyroid function);
- the occurrence of hallux valgus may be preceded by gout, which leads to the fact that uric acid salts are collected in the joints, provoking the development of curvatures;
- uncomfortable, too narrow or inappropriate length shoes;
- constant operation of high-heeled shoes;
- pregnancy, leading to increased stress on the joints.
It is difficult to completely cure valgus deformity, but the pathology can be corrected by minimizing the manifestations of the disease. There are surgical and conservative therapies. The first is surgery, which solves the problem of bent joints. It is used in more severe cases when the disease is running.
To eliminate mild manifestations of pathology, as well as for the prevention of the disease, conservative methods of treatment are used. Among them - daily gymnastics with the help of special sports equipment (balls), as well as the use of orthopedic products in everyday life.
Hallux Valgus Insoles
Orthopedic insoles, the price of which depends on the material used in their production, are used to prevent and treat various types of flat-valgus deformities of the feet. Often, longitudinal flatfoot is aggravated by the incorrect position of the foot, filling it inward. As a rule, orthopedic products are made in two versions - from leather or from a sanitary towel.
Patients who used orthopedic insoles for hallux valgus, left mostly positive reviews. These are leather products. They are durable, it is easier to care for them, since the contaminants are removed from the surface with the help of some alcohol-containing substance. Leather insoles are more rigid, but the price is higher than on insoles made of a hygienic cloth. Rag insoles are more accessible, they are softer and can be used to correct violations in children.
For comparison: the cost of a prophylactic insole from a sanitary towel starts at 8 y. e., a leather product costs twice as much - 15 y. E. and above. Medical and treatment-and-prophylactic orthopedic insoles, the price of which starts at 15 c. e., are performed only in a leather version.
It is important to remember that flat-valgus insoles are used in conjunction with everyday shoes, in other words, the product is placed inside the shoe, so the insoles are selected for shoes with a high and fairly stiff back. There is an opportunity to adjust the insole to specific shoes - the product can be cut, but only along the upper and inner edges. The outer section of the insole must not be touched.
Hardness classification
Conventionally, insoles for correction of foot deformation can be divided into three groups:
- preventive;
- therapeutic and prophylactic;
- medicinal.
For the prevention of the disease, the best orthopedic insoles are products with a low and soft arch support, which is a soft pillow that can quickly change its shape and crumple under pressure. Such insoles can be used in almost any closed shoe, because they slightly increase the completeness of the shoe’s interior.
Treatment-and-prophylactic insoles - products with an average height arch support, which is slightly compressed and practically does not change shape when pressed. Such insoles are made both from leather raw materials and from a sanitary towel. This type of product is used in shoes with a closed raised back and a fastener that fixes the foot well.
Healing insoles are products in which arch supports are high, resembling an arch in shape. This type of orthopedic modules is used only in shoes suitable for treatment.
Orthopedic insoles: how to choose
Today, a potential consumer has the opportunity to choose whether to purchase a ready-made insole with specified parameters or to make a product to order with parameters that most closely satisfy the physiological characteristics of the foot. There are also individualizable insoles - orthopedic products that lend themselves to a small but useful change in their physical parameters.
The main characteristic by which the insole is selected is the length of the foot. The product can be purchased, focusing on the metric parameter or using the traditional shoe size, which completely matches the existing sizes of orthopedic insoles.
Since the arch material can be different in density, when choosing an insole, you should focus on your own feelings - try several types of products and choose the most comfortable for yourself.
The orthopedic insole must always fulfill its tasks - for active loads and sports, one type is suitable, for everyday life - another. Therefore, lovers of calm walking and people whose work is associated with prolonged standing on their feet should pay attention to insoles with a frame. These products are quite thin and suitable for almost any everyday shoe.
However, if a person periodically experiences pain in the foot, a soft insole is suitable for him - it is comfortable and convenient, but slightly thicker than usual. For sports shoes, it is recommended to choose insoles without a frame. They are single-layer and two-layer and, accordingly, vary in thickness. Two-layer products are often used for rheumatoid arthritis. Such an arch support helps to evenly distribute the load on the foot and relieve pressure on the "bones".
What to look for
It should be understood that orthopedic insoles are medical devices, and if it is not about preventive measures, but about therapeutic ones, they should be selected only in accordance with the diagnosis.
Orthopedic insoles are divided into two types - children and adults. Products for the smallest need to be selected carefully and only after consultation with an orthopedist. Children often have longitudinal flat feet, and the insoles for them are often equipped with additional modules designed to support the longitudinal arch of the foot. Insoles with three support points are used to support the longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot. These products help reduce the load on the heel.
Orthopedic insoles for adults are very diverse and depending on the function they are divided into:
- half insoles, or orthopedic insoles for women who wear high-heeled shoes;
- longitudinal;
- transverse;
- longitudinal-transverse;
- insoles for the treatment of heel spurs;
- half insoles-arch supports for the prevention of foot deformation;
- frame insoles, which are used only in closed shoes.
Useful Tips
You should always remember that the physiology of the leg over time is insignificant, but changes, so every two years it is recommended to change the insoles, while consulting an orthopedic surgeon.
The product care instructions contain recommendations that are important to adhere to and it does not matter what material the insole is made of. In addition, factory insoles have indications for use, among which, for example, a feeling of fatigue in the legs, pain in the feet against the background of flat feet of various types, different lengths of the lower extremities, etc.
The effectiveness of the insole is checked by our own observations - the reasons why the product was purchased should, if not disappear, at least not be so obvious.
Compared with custom-made goods, finished orthopedic insoles are still considered more technological. With hallux valgus, reviews about their effectiveness are different, but most people note that the operation of this product improves the quality of life - leg pain becomes less, the load on the feet decreases, walking is more comfortable.
In addition to orthopedic insoles, a valgus splint is used to correct bent joints and reduce pain of the big toes - this is a kind of bandage that over time corrects the incorrect position of the joint.
In addition to using orthopedic products to correct pathological changes, it is useful to strengthen the muscles and arch of the foot with the help of special exercises and massage.
Summarizing all of the above, it can be noted that hallux valgus is a disease that often develops from childhood. To avoid the occurrence of severe pathological conditions, it is important to start treatment measures as early as possible. The use of orthopedic modules in therapy leads to good results.
Valgus insoles can be made of various materials, as well as in bulk or on order, on which, in fact, their cost depends. To achieve a positive therapeutic effect, orthopedic insoles with hallux valgus should be selected according to the standard size of the shoes and put into the shoe with a hard back. Testimonials of people using this medical device indicate a good effect, but only with a correctly selected module and its constant operation.