Orthotic Shoe Inserts

Our Brisbane podiatrists can recommend the right orthotics for your individual situation.

Orthotics are specially designed devices or ‘inserts’ that are worn inside the shoe. They serve to control the position and motion of your foot, which in turn will prevent pain and reduce the chances of any ongoing discomfort or injuries. They are perfect for correcting gait abnormalities, aligning the spine and reducing joint pain and other problems that begin with the feet. With combined knowledge gathered over 30 years providing orthotic treatment, our Brisbane podiatrists have extensive experience in finding and recommending the right orthotics for thousands of patients.

To enhance the outcome, our podiatrists will often try some temporary correction to allow the body to adjust slowly to the changes and confirm the need for orthotics. Our philosophy is to provide orthotics that are comfortable first and foremost and secondly provide different types of supports to fit in a wide variety of shoe types for a more flexible lifestyle. If you have had problems with orthotics in the past, we would value the opportunity to assess your situation.

Some common reasons orthotics are prescribed include:

• Tendinitis:
  An inflammation of a tendon (around the foot, ankle or lower leg) that causes aches, pains and local stiffness. Orthotics help to improve lower limb and foot function, to reduce pressure on the particular tendon, alleviating pain and soreness.
• Metatarsalgia:
  This is stress related foot pain that occurs in the ball of the foot when standing or walking, resulting in the inflammation of the metatarsal heads Metatarsalgia can be mimicked by other similar conditions in the same area, or can co-exist with conditions with similar presentations, so successful treatment starts with an accurate assessment and diagnosis before an appropriate orthotic can be selected. Orthotics help by reducing the pressure placed on the ball of the foot and toes and decrease pain.
• Sesamoiditis:
  An inflammation of the sesamoids (small oval bones under the big toe joint. This condition is usually caused by excessive forces such as excessive rolling in of the foot walking or running, the sudden bending up of the big toe, high heels (women are commonly affected), or an awkward stumble. Orthotics help to keep the pressure off the bone and reduce pain while allowing the injury to repair.

One of our Brisbane podiatrists will recommend the right orthotics for you after undertaking a biomechanical and footwear assessment. Here we will analyse how you walk / run to see your foot movement and function and note any other interesting biomechanical abnormalities or sources of pain. We will also analyse the wear patterns on your footwear as they are often a great indication of how someone walks / runs. Our podiatrists will prescribe and construct the right orthotics for your type of footwear and your individual situation.

If you regularly suffer from foot pain or other associated pain, orthotics may be the answer to your problems. Talk to Instep Podiatry today to see how orthotics can help you contact us for a consultation.