Have you spent a lot of time and money researching sneakers and shoes? Have you bought one pair of running sneakers, just to decide later that you don’t like them and end up buying a different pair? Then maybe rinse and repeat a few times? Well, what if you can turn any and all of your pairs of shoes or sneakers into a pair that works for you and your body, that you can keep, use, and enjoy?
That is the awesome magic of custom foot orthotics. Since they replace the existing liner of your shoe with something that is custom fit to your particular feet, you can turn an uncomfortable, unsupportive pair of shoes or sneakers into a custom, supportive shoe in seconds. And you can easily pop them from one pair of shoes to the next, turning all your shoes and sneakers into custom, supportive kicks!
If you are unfamiliar with them, custom foot orthotics are basically supports that go into a shoe or sneaker and support the foot by accommodating that person’s specific anatomy, including the three arches of each foot. Most people who are familiar with orthotics think of the over-the-counter ones they get from the supermarket or big box store. These “orthotics” can be comfortable, but they are overall generic and don’t include very supportive materials designed to last or support the other two arches of the foot. On the other hand, custom foot orthotics are created in a lab by professionals who do only that, all day and every day. These orthotics support all three arches, the medial longitudinal, lateral longitudinal, and transverse arch. And they are designed to accommodate specific variations in each person’s anatomy, even the left and right orthotics are usually different from one another, since most people have mild variations in their foot anatomy, left to right. Here’s a picture:
Since custom orthotics change a person’s joint support and alignment from the bottom of their feet up to the top of their head, they usually take some getting used to. Most people have to wear them for only 1-2 hours on day one, then increase wear time about 1 hour per day until they are comfortable wearing them all day. People who in the past may have had knee, hip, or back pain may notice that as they adjust to the orthotics, their pain slowly subsides, and that their joints feel more comfortable as they go through their daily routine. There are even studies demonstrating that custom foot orthotics can reduce lower back pain by a significant amount.
Here are just some of the many pieces of patient feedback from the custom orthotics that we use:
“I wouldn't be able to walk without mine! Worth every dime. I have scoliosis and a bulging disc in my neck and plantar fasciitis in my feet! I don't know what I'd do without my Foot Levelers! Thank you.”
“Since wearing my Foot Levelers functional orthotics, my low back, hip, and knee pain has decreased, which makes my busy schedule as a massage therapist easier to manage. I recommend Foot Levelers to all my friends, family, and even strangers on the street!”
“I have scoliosis and have been in pain for at least 30 years. I purchased the inserts and flip flops. The inserts can be used in all my shoes and the flip flops are worn 90% of the time in the summer. Foot levelers are heaven sent. They are invaluable in keeping my hips and spin in alignment and are worth every penny I've spent.”
“One week into wearing my Fiji custom orthotic flip-flops, I can honestly see a huge improvement in my level of back pain! They are my new Favorite pair of flip-flops.”
I also trust and recommend this brand because I’ve personally been using them for almost 5 years now. Here is my personal experience with these custom orthotics: I first became interested in personally using custom foot orthotics after noticing changes in my feet after my two pregnancies. My feet were flatter, some of my shoes didn’t even fit comfortably anymore, and I noticed that there was now something “missing” when I wore my dress flats, like there were places in my feet that felt unsupported somehow, that I didn’t feel before. So fast forward almost 5 years later of wearing my custom orthotics, I personally try to have a nice mixture of time using them when I really need the support, and taking a break from them and letting my feet do their thing naturally when it makes sense to do so. So, I’ll wear them when I’m on my feet all day at work, on the hard floors and in dress shoes or sneakers. I’ll go barefoot when I’m walking outside in my yard, doing yoga, or hanging out. Some patients I talk to use them mostly for running or sports, and a lot of times at work. Some work in the service or construction industry and make sure to have them in their shoes while they’re running around at work for 6-12 hours at a time. Some patients wear them 24/7 and use the shoe orthotics in their day-to-day routine, get a pair of custom orthotic flip-flops for the beach and Summer, and even get a pair (or use the shoe orthotic) that fits into their slippers for home. Everyone is different, and everyone must find what works best for them and their personal lifestyle.
Of course, not every patient and body are created equally. Custom orthotics are amazing for so many people, but not everyone. Some patients embrace the minimalist, barefoot lifestyle, and that is great, too. That works well for many people out there. That’s why the custom orthotics company we work with offers a one-year 100% money-back guarantee, there is literally nothing to lose by trying them.
If you are curious about custom foot orthotics and are interested to find out if they would help you, feel free to schedule a free digital laser foot scan and consultation with foot analysis at our clinic here https://www.thegrpt.com/events-and-offers
If you would like to learn more about the Custom foot orthotics company that we work with, you may do so here: https://www.footlevelers.com/
And as always, feel free to leave any questions or comments in the blog comments section, or email me personally at the email below with any private questions or concerns!
In good health,
Dr. Ashley Bertorelli, PT and Founder of The Green Room PT
Email: ashleygrpt@gmail.com
Ph: 518-326-3771
www.thegrpt.com
Clifton Park & Troy