Often in people in the area of the heel a kind of growth is formed, called a spur. It injures soft tissues when a person rests on the heel and causes intense pain when pressed on it. Orthopedic insoles with heel spur help to avoid pain during walking, and are also a good preventive method. Consider what orthopedic insoles exist, their differences and features.
Heel spur
The wedge-shaped spike on the calcaneal tubercle, resulting from inflammation of the plantar fascia, is called a spur. It causes pain when walking, which contributes to impaired gait and a decrease in living standards. As a rule, a spur is formed with developed flat feet, due to the fact that the normal redistribution of load on the foot is disturbed and the tendons of plantar aponeurosis are damaged. Often, the occurrence of pathology is due to a calcaneus injury or is a consequence of a chronic joint disease. The most common cause of spurs is not the physiological position of the feet, orthopedic insoles help correct this defect, since they are designed specifically to support the foot in an anatomical position and well absorb the foot. Orthopedic insoles with heel spur are prescribed as a means of conservative treatment or used to prevent the disease.
What are orthopedic insoles?
Orthopedic insoles are called special devices that look like inserts in shoes with flat soles. They support the physiological position of the foot when walking, performing the role of a corset for it. Often these devices are equipped with special shock-absorbing tabs that help ease the load on the arch of the foot and contribute to the repayment of the shock wave while walking. Such insoles repeat the arch of the foot in exact accordance with its shape. Orthopedic insoles with heel spur, photos of which are presented in our article, support the heel bone in an elevated position. Under the heel in the insole there is usually a soft shock-absorbing tab that allows you to reduce the pressure of the spur on the soft tissue of the leg when walking and to reduce the degree of pain. In addition, the design of orthopedic insoles with a heel spur helps to maintain the longitudinal and transverse arch of the foot. Such support helps the healing of plantar aponeurosis and improves the depreciation of the legs with different types of flat feet.
Heels
A variety of orthopedic insoles are the heel pads, supporting the foot in the area of the calcaneus. The material for their manufacture is cork wood, genuine leather, silicone, medifoam (modern synthetic material). Their sale is carried out in shoe and orthopedic salons, pharmacies and via the Internet. Orthopedic insoles with a heel spur, according to consumer reviews, are not all the same, what you need to pay attention to when buying. Their types are determined by the specific purpose. If this is not taken into account, you may not get the expected effect of the product.
Shock absorbing heel
The shock-absorbing heel is round or wedge-shaped. This type of device is used for the following painful conditions: heel spur, arthrosis of the joints of the lower extremities, foot injuries in the heel. In the center of the liner there is a hard section, which performs massage of the soft tissues of the heel while walking and softens the marginal osteophyte. The heel helps to improve the cushioning of the foot, reducing the shock load on the heels, joints and spine. There are other types of orthopedic insoles with heel spur.
Gel heel with sides
As a material for its manufacture, medical silicone is used. The product is equipped with rigid sides at the edges and a soft spring insert in the center. This version of the orthopedic insole is designed for the anatomically correct location of the foot in the shoe and ensures the physiologically correct movement of the leg when walking. Comforting conditions for the heel are provided by the shock-absorbing insert; it is also responsible for reducing pain during reliance on the calcaneus and improving local blood circulation and metabolic processes. This product can also be used for shoes with heels. The heels with sides are specially designed for reliable fixation of the foot in physiological position.
All types of orthopedic insoles with a heel spur are produced in different sizes. Therefore, when purchasing such a product, you need to measure the exact length of the foot. The insole should fit snugly to the bottom of the shoe, and the heels can even be glued to the heel area to prevent the liner from slipping.
The benefits of wearing orthopedic insoles
For some pathologies of the musculoskeletal system it requires the wearing of orthopedic insoles, in addition, they are used to prevent axial skeleton diseases. When there is a heel spur, insoles and heels are indispensable helpers. Wearing orthopedic insoles has a number of advantages, which are worth mentioning separately. They perform the following functions:
- Prevention of diseases of the spine and joints.
- Fixing the foot in a physiological position while wearing shoes.
- Rigid inserts have a massage effect on the plantar surface of the foot, help improve blood circulation of the lower extremities.
- Gel inserts absorb the foot and reduce the pressure of the spurs on the heel, have an analgesic effect.
- Orthopedic insoles with a heel spur support the heel in a raised position, reducing pressure on the plantar aponeurosis.
- Reduce lower limb fatigue during prolonged physical exertion and exercise.
- The use of these devices reduces the period of conservative treatment, it is used for shock wave therapy and during the recovery period after surgery.
The choice of model and type of orthopedic insoles or heel is up to you, but it is better to consult an orthopedist or surgeon who can give qualified advice.
Product Care
To last longer for orthopedic insoles with a heel spur, tips for caring for them include regular washing with warm soapy water and drying without using heat sources. Doctors advise systematically replacing old insoles with new ones, as they wear out and lose some of their cushioning functions. Products made from natural materials (cork, felt, leather) are less likely to be replaced. Silicone products are even more durable. With proper care of them, it is quite possible to use them for several years. In addition, they prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor if sweating of the feet is observed. Consider which orthopedic insoles to prefer with a heel spur - silicone or others.
How to choose insoles?
Modern manufacturers offer a very wide selection of insoles with orthopedic support. The choice of these products must be approached very carefully, since an incorrectly selected insole can aggravate the disease, and not help in its correction. All insoles should be equipped with an arch support, which is located under the inner arch of the foot, have a recess and special wedge-shaped inserts in the heel area. Also in the insole should be a metatarsal pillow. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the material from which the products are made, because it is the quality of the material that ensures wearing comfort. Insoles are leather, felt, silicone, gel and leather substitutes. The configuration of the insoles is also different. We have already talked about some species in this article.
Recall once again what their varieties exist:
- orthopedic insoles of a combined or longitudinal structure, they are mainly used for flat feet;
- half insoles that do not have a toe (suitable for wearing in narrow shoes);
- heel cups are designed to reduce heel load.
What orthopedic insoles for heel spur is better to buy?
When choosing, you need to pay attention to the fact that the insole should repeat the shape of the foot in accuracy. When choosing orthopedic insoles, it is also very important to take into account the size of the leg, its anatomical structure, body weight, and the severity of the pathology. Orthopedists sometimes recommend insoles made to order in a special workshop. This is the most comfortable option.
DIY insoles
If you wish, you can make orthopedic insoles with a heel spur with your own hands. This will require old shoe insoles, a dense roll of cotton or felt, fabric. Material is better to take cotton. It is necessary to cut out a pattern from it along the contour of the insole and glue it, covering it with a roller, then return it to the shoes. It is important to correctly calculate the height of the lift.
Reviews
The use of insoles or heels in the treatment and prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system finds many reviews, for the most part positive. Patients note that when wearing devices, legs get tired less, pain in the lumbar region decreases, pain decreases, swelling disappears, the ability to move is facilitated, and the results of shock wave therapy are improved. The disadvantages of these products are called their fragility, which is why insoles often have to be changed.
Finally
The systematic use of orthopedic insoles and heels helps to ease the load on the sore foot, reduce the damaging effects of the heel spur on the plantar fascia and soft tissues.
Insoles normalize local blood flow and prevent the occurrence of pain in the heel. In connection with the foregoing, it is necessary to recall that both insoles and heel pads are auxiliary devices and do not cancel conservative or surgical treatment, but can only be used as part of complex therapy. The use of insoles during remission of the disease and the absence of acute manifestations contributes to the prevention of relapse of the disease and reduces the shock load on the musculoskeletal system.
So, we examined how to choose orthopedic insoles with a heel spur.