Orthotics and Exercise Enhancement
When you exercise it is important to wear appropriate athletic shoes that work with your feet and your body alignment. Your selection of shoe wear may not be enough to support your feet and body during your chosen exercise and activity. There are times when a good shoe is simply not enough and orthotics are needed. Orthotics can enhance sports performance and can support the body against the forces of pronation and supination.
Pronation and Supination
In aerobic activities in which you are standing such as walking and running, your feet and your whole lower body go through phases of gait called foot stance, toe off and swing phase. During the foot stance and toe off phase, the position of the bones in your foot will change and go through pronation and supination. In pronation, there is some flattening of your arch and internal rotation of your body. This allows your foot to adapt to different surfaces. In supination, there is an increased arch and a more rigid foot. The forces of pronation and supination must be taken up by your feet and your whole body.
High-Arched Feet
Some people have very high-arched feet and tight Achilles tendons. With this foot type, it is difficult to absorb shock as the foot-flattening motion (pronation) helps to absorb shock and the high-arched foot does not do this very well.
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Flat Feet
Some people have feet with inadequate joint and ligament support for their arches. They can be said to pronate excessively. Some people have very flat feet and it is difficult to see that they have an arch. If you have flat feet or pronate excessively, you can be more prone to have pronation-related muscle and joint problems. This can result in pain in your feet, knees, hips or back. If your shoes and insoles are not providing enough support for the pronation, you may be overusing muscles or your joints may be moving excessively. People who tend to pronate excessively should have an athletic shoe with a good rear heel counter and with torsional support. This means that a good sole and more sturdy foam on the inner aspect of the shoe is needed to resist pronation. An orthotic insert can also be helpful.
Generic Orthotics
Generic orthotics are off-the-shelf inserts for people who have a particular foot size. They can be helpful for people with mild pronation problems and may be very useful in athletic shoes or even in hiking or ski boots. There are very few generic orthotics that actually provide much support. “Superfeet” is a good brand but if those are not available in your area, ask your local sports physician, physiotherapist or podiatrist for advice on generic inserts. You can also ask them for advice on custom orthotics.
Custom Orthotics
Custom orthotics are made by health care professionals by doing a biomechanical exam and by taking a mold of your feet. A custom orthotic is important for anyone with moderate to severe pronation or for someone with bunions or foot pain. Custom orthotics may also be useful for people with high-arched feet. Custom orthotics can enhance running, hiking, biking and skiing by supporting your alignment.
What Do I Need?
It may be difficult to determine whether you require either a generic or a custom orthotic. Here are a few tips to help you find the anwers you need. If you have pain in your feet, ankles or knees, you may benefit by using a trial generic orthotic for a few weeks. If you tend to break down your shoes within three to four months, an orthotic may be appropriate. You can go to a specialty shoe store or a running shoe store to speak to someone qualified who can watch you walk or run and who can show you which generic orthotics will provide mechanical support for your foot type. If may also be beneficial to ask your health care provider if you can be referred for a biomechanical and orthotic evaluation.
The Bottom Line
The most important thing is to have good shoes for exercising or playing sports. Consider orthotics if you have any foot or lower-body joint or muscle pains from walking or other exercise activities. You may also want to consider orthotics to improve your performance for on-your-feet activities.
