Orthotics are custom made shoe inserts designed to treat one’s foot biomechanics. Poor foot biomechanics may lead to foot, ankle, shin, knee, hip and back pain.
How Are Custom Orthotics Made?
There are many different ways of making a custom orthotic but doing a gait scan/analysis in addition to creating a non-weight bearing cast/mold of the feet is the best and most reliable (and how it’s done at our clinic).
Do Orthotics Weaken Foot Muscles?
One of the most common questions I get asked is “Does wearing orthotics weaken the muscles in my feet and legs?”.
Actually the opposite is true!
When walking, the majority of the work of the orthotics is carried out when the foot is placed on the ground until your big toe is about to push off the ground. The work of the muscles, for its part, is mainly done when we lift the foot off the ground until the other heel contacts the ground. Thus, the orthotics don’t work against the muscle, but parallel to it. There have been multiple studies that have shown that the foot and leg muscles actually get stronger with orthotics and they improve athletic performance. 1,2,3
Who Can Benefit from Orthotics?
- Anyone with foot, ankle, leg and knee pain including plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinopathy, bunions, metatarsalgia, shin splints, patellofemoral pain and iliotibial band syndrome.
- Those with joint pain and osteoarthritis in the knees, hips and lower back.
- Athletes: A study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that athletes using custom orthotics experienced fewer injuries and enhanced performance due to improved biomechanics and shock absorption.4 Interestingly, over the many years I was doing preseason medicals with the Toronto Raptors players, every player on the team was fitted for custom orthotics whether they had pain or not!
The Importance of Proper Assessment
As helpful as orthotics can be for the above populations, it is also important to have a proper assessment of your complaints, get the right treatment and follow an individualized home exercise program, including foot activation and strengthening exercises.
My Favourite Foot Activation Exercise
One of my favourite exercises (and one I believe every person would benefit from) to activate the little but important muscles in your feet is the following:
While sitting, and the entire foot firmly planted on the ground, try to lift your left and right big toes up together while not lifting or moving the other 4 toes. Then, do the opposite. If you cannot do this, the best way to help activate these muscles properly is to bend over and firmly hold down the 2 big toes with your hands while actively lifting the other 4 toes. Then, hold down each of the 4 toes, and lift your big toes up. Alternate for 1 minute daily and within 3-4 weeks, you will improve your foot activation immensely!
- Tomaro J, Burdett RG. The effects of foot orthotics on the EMG activity of selected leg muscles during gait. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1993;18(4):532–6.
- Mundermann A, Wakeling JM, Nigg BM, Humble RN, Stefanyshyn DJ. Foot orthoses affect frequency components of muscle activity in the lower extremity. Gait Posture 2006;23(3):295–302.
- Murley GS, Landorf KB, Menz HB, Bird AR. Effect of foot posture, foot orthoses and footwear on lower limb muscle activity during walking and running: a systematic review. Gait Posture. 2009;29(2):172-87.
- Ryan, M, Taunton, B Jack Porcari, P. American Journal of Sports Medicine. The Effectiveness of Custom-Made Orthotics in the Treatment of Lower Extremity Overuse Injuries in Runners.
