When purchasing low-quality shoes, we donโt think about the fact that this causes harm to the health of our legs, they create feelings of heaviness and pain. These symptoms are not best reflected in our gait. Individual orthopedic insoles can prevent foot diseases and restore ease of gait.
Who needs to wear insoles
The condition of the legs must be monitored from childhood. Pathological changes in the feet can be prevented until the age of seven. The most common problems are flat feet, hallux valgus and varus deformities of the feet. To establish the correct diagnosis and get recommendations on how to choose orthopedic insoles, you need to contact an orthopedic surgeon.
In an adult, leg problems occur after 40 years and can lead to serious consequences, such as arthrosis of the joints and osteochondrosis. Women are at particular risk because they like to wear high heels, as well as men whose work is associated with excessive stress on the joints. All this becomes the reason for the development of flat feet, which is longitudinal, transverse and combined.
In addition, the cause of the disease can be overweight, paralysis of the muscles of the arch of the foot, fractures of the bones of the foot. In any case, this condition requires treatment. Orthopedic insoles can prevent the development of pathology in childhood. For adults, they will help relieve tension in the muscles, reduce the load on the feet, relieve pain and heaviness in the legs.
What do orthopedic insoles look like?
All products have an arch support located in the area of โโthe inner arch; a recess is modeled under the heel. During movement, the central part of the insole rises and lowers. Additional fixation is provided with a metatarsal pillow.
The front of the insole (strap) is designed for the correct location of the fingers. There are models and only this part (half-insole), which does not interfere with the correct distribution of weight along the entire length of the product.
The most important part of the insole is the wedges, which make it possible to change the angle of the foot. With improper weight distribution, heel displacement occurs. Wedges help to keep the foot in the correct position, which is the prevention of pain and swelling. The insole for the correction of foot pathologies consists of two wedges: under the heel and in front of the product. It is advisable to choose models from soft materials with a gel inside the pads, which, distributed evenly, takes an optimal shape.
What are the insoles
An orthopedic traumatologist will advise how to choose orthopedic insoles depending on the diagnosis and the purposes for which they are acquired.
There are two types of insoles from flat feet. Some are intended for the prevention of the disease, others correct the existing pathology, and make them on an individual order. The best brands in the European market of insoles for the prevention and correction of foot pathologies are considered to be GRISON, COCCINE, TARRAGO.
Insoles for the prevention of foot pathologies
Preventive models are used to prevent flat feet. In their manufacture, a gel substance is used, which makes the insoles very soft and flexible, able to adapt to the anatomical features of the human foot.
Women who do not want to give up high heels, but at the same time take care of the health of their legs, acquire orthopedic insoles. Reviews about them are only positive. Specially designed foam or leather products that can be worn under model shoes keep the foot in excellent condition. But it must be borne in mind that with longitudinal flat feet, wearing heels above 4 cm, even with insoles, is recommended for no more than two hours.
For overweight people, rigid arch supports made of steel, special plastic or graphite are suitable. When wearing such products, the arches of the foot are in the correct position, this prevents the occurrence of pain and tension.
For women who are expecting a baby, there are special preventive arch supports that help
reduce the pressure of the pregnant womanโs weight on the foot. This helps to cope with
leg pain and
swelling.Corrective Models
Models for correcting the existing pathology with individually selected arch support and metatarsal pillows, as well as a recess on the heel, help reduce the load on the feet and maintain the normal location of its bones.
Products with a heel similar to a horseshoe are designed to treat heel spurs. Due to its special shape, constant friction of the soft tissues of the heel is prevented. According to customer reviews, wearing such insoles reduces the load on the heel area and eliminates pain. It happens that when walking the foot is tucked up and the ankle is stretched, in this case the wearing of semi-rigid insoles from flexible plastic will help. Such products are very comfortable for the legs.
A special kind of insoles is a foot corrector designed for people with a disease such as diabetes. With this pathology, nerve endings lose their sensitivity in some areas of the foot, and corns and corns are formed in connection with this. The gel inside the pads in these insoles allows the model to perfectly adapt to the features of the foot.
Orthopedic insoles for children
Children's models, in addition to massage and preventive gymnastics, help the formation of the correct foot in the child, positively affect the development of the musculoskeletal system, ensuring the correct gait. Reviews of many mothers indicate that the improvement becomes noticeable after several months of using the insoles.
What to look for
How to choose orthopedic insoles for a child so that wearing them is beneficial? There are several points to consider:
- the product should not be rigid so as not to interfere with the natural movements of the foot;
- the material from which the orthopedic nursery insoles are made should not only differ in strength, but also in flexibility. This will ensure a stable position of the foot and will not impede age-related changes in its arch;
- the optimal length of the children's insole is three quarters (not considering the surface of the fingers);
- the product is made only according to an individual impression in order to avoid the development of other deformations of the foot.
Selection and manufacture
How to choose orthopedic insoles and is it possible to do it yourself? Of course, you can buy products for adjusting the condition of the foot in a pharmacy, but there is no guarantee that wearing them will be useful. The structure of the foot of each person is individual, and when using arch support without selection, additional pathology may form or an existing disease may worsen. Therefore, only a qualified specialist can engage in the selection of insoles, and a prosthetics technician can manufacture.
Orthopedic insoles are manufactured in several stages. At the first, diagnostics are carried out, which helps to identify the degree of flat feet, then a gypsum print is made. The next step is a consistent fitting. After handing out the product, the patient receives recommendations from the doctor on the care of the insoles. At the final stage, the product is corrected during wearing. Since the foot straightens gradually while wearing insoles, after some time you may have to pick up another model. Preventive insoles should be made of genuine leather, which allows them to keep their shape for a long time. The service life of such models does not exceed two years.
Orthopedic insoles with flat feet is the best way to correct foot deformation, without this pathology it is impossible to fix. Products contribute to the correct redistribution of the load on the sole (depending on the physiological characteristics of each person). Properly selected insoles will help to eliminate such unpleasant phenomena as pain, fatigue and swelling of the legs. Regular wearing of such models will prevent the development of pathologies of the feet, will make you feel comfortable even if you spend all day on your feet.