What Are Orthotic Insoles, and Why Do We Need Them?
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Posted On :
May-13-2009
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Article Word Count :
550
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Approximately 60-70% of people all over the world deal with a problem called over-pronation, something that can be the culprit for severe consequences over time. Some individuals overpronate more than others. The fact that so many individuals have flat feet is caused by the hard, flat surfaces we walk on daily. Additionally, age, weak ankle muscles and body weight can be a factor.
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Why Do We Need Orthotic Inserts?
Approximately 60-70% of people all over the world deal with a problem called over-pronation, something that can be the culprit for severe consequences over time. Some individuals overpronate more than others. The fact that so many individuals have flat feet is caused by the hard, flat surfaces we walk on daily. Additionally, age, weak ankle muscles and body weight can be a factor. Therefore, over-pronation is much more common in adults in their 50’s and above, and also in people that may be over their ideal weight.
For many patients, over-pronation doesn't pose a real problem, particularly for younger people. Nonetheless, irregular foot function caused by over-pronation can lead to various ailments like plantar fasciitis, heel pain, heel spurs, metatarsalgia - even knee pain and low back pain!
Orthotics fix the problem of over-pronation and can help lessen or eradicate many common aches and pains caused by flat feet and other ailments of the foot. Orthotics are inexpensive, costing between $30 and $40 per pair. Acquiring a pair of orthotic insoles can be a worthwhile investment in your health, because they can also prevent many future biomechanical issues.
What Are Orthotic Inserts?
Orthotics are devices that are positioned inside the shoes with the purpose of restoring our normal foot function. Many common complaints such as heel pain, knee pain and low back pain are caused by flawed foot biomechanics. Biomechanics is the research of movement and studies the movements of our bodies during running, walking, and performing sports. The most familiar form of improper foot biomechanics is over-pronation. It consists in the arches falling and inward rolling of the feet and ankles. An estimated 70% of the population deals with over-pronation to different extents. Orthotics improve over-pronation and re-align the foot and ankle bones to their correct position, reinstating natural foot function. In turn, this will help relieve problems not only in the feet, but also in other sections of your body, especially lower body parts such as the hips, lower back and the knees.
What is the Difference Between Orthotic Inserts and Regular Insoles?
There is a big difference between ordinary insoles and arch support inserts. Standard insoles are specifically designed to provide a cushioning effect and shock absorption. They may feel comfortable at to start, however they do not deal with any biomechanical problems i.e. they do not fix over-pronation. On the other hand, orthotic insoles are active devices, created to fix and optimize our foot function. Some insoles also feature an arch support, but often the support is ineffective, especially if the insoles are made of yielding materials.
So how do orthotic insoles precisely work? To beging with, orthotic insoles do much more than giving support to the arches. Orthotics bring back the correct position of the feet and ankles and restore correct foot function. Furthermore, orthotic insoles cause a more uniform weight distribution, taking pressure off painful areas (e.g. the heels, the ball of the foot, corns in between toes and bunions). They also create a certain degree of shock absorption, but this not their chief objective. The main purpose of orthotic insoles is to correct foot function. In many cases, this will lessen foot pain and prevent future problems and injuries.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_What Are Orthotic Insoles, and Why Do We Need Them?_706.aspx
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Author Resource :
Arch pain is a major problem in many people today. Achilles heel pain, heel spur pain, and heel bone spurs are common foot health problems that affect many people today. Footminders products are very effective in eliminating causes for foot pain.
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Keywords :
foot pain, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, orthotics, orthotic, flat feet, pronation, arch supports, insole, foot health, shoe ,
Category :
Health and Fitness
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Health and Fitness
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