You might have seen them in the supermarket, heard of a friend using them, or read about them online, but exactly what are orthotic insoles, and are they worth getting?
To help you answer this question, we have pulled together all the common questions that our team get asked about orthotic insoles and provide you everything you need to know about orthotic insoles for shoes.
First of all, “what are orthotic insoles?”
During an initial assessment for any problem, our physiotherapists will consider whether your feet are contributing to the issue. There are simple tests that they can do to identify this, and if it seems appropriate, our team may offer to tell you about orthotic insoles.
Orthotic insoles are insert that fit inside your footwear and the most common purpose is to provide support to the foot and ankle and normalise the distribution of weight throughout your foot. This can significantly reduce tension, stiffness and discomfort in your body as well as prevent injuries.
The consequences of having your feet in the incorrect position can be muscular imbalances, and this leads to overuse of certain muscles – typically the muscles in and around the knee, hips and lower back, as these muscles have to take over the job of keeping your body aligned.
“Are orthotic insoles uncomfortable?”
Custom orthotic insoles that are properly fitted should not cause any pain, however they may feel a little strange at first – similar to wearing a new pair of shoes however it should go away relatively quickly.
The discomfort experienced by orthotic insoles is due to your foot being placed into a more natural or “neutral” position which is currently isn’t used to.
“When should I wear orthotics insoles?”
Initially, you should build up how often and how long you wear your orthotic insoles to help minimise any discomfort. Our team can provide bespoke advice to you in relation to when to increase your usage over the first few days, and weeks, depending on your condition and other factors.
Once you have got used to your orthotic insoles, you will typically see the greatest benefit from wearing them the majority of the day.
“How long does it take to get used to orthotics?”
This can vary depending on the person depending on their condition, how consistently they wear them, and how often they spend on their feet. However, for the vast majority of people, it should only take a few weeks to get used to them.
“Will I need to get new shoes?”
You should be able to wear your orthotics with any of your existing footwear, including by not limited to work shoes, comfort shoes, running trainers, ladies fashion such as heels, and walking/hiking boots.
“How long do orthotic insoles last?”
Orthotic insoles lifespan will depend on the quality of the material, and manufacturing process. At Paul Gough Physio Rooms, we provide a lifetime warranty for the orthotics that we offer to our patients, so in the extremely unlikely event that they do become damaged, you can get them replaced for free.
“What are the benefits of orthotic insoles?”
A good set of insoles (yes, there are bad orthotic insoles which can actually make the pain worse), should provide natural, drug-free pain relief which we know is a massive benefit of orthotics.
Benefits of Orthotic Insoles – No Painkillers
We know that lots of people who are struggling with knee, hip or lower back pain in the North East are frustrated that the standard advice from their GP is usually to rest and take pain killers, however this doesn’t really offer the long term solution that they want (plus there is the risks involved with regular use of painkillers).
This is one of the many reason, orthotic insoles for your shoes are a great solution as they can provide significant pain relief without having to take painkillers.
Benefits of Orthotic Insoles – Easy To Use
You can put your orthotic insoles into your shoes and forget about them. They will do their job at supporting and aligning your foot, which will lead to a reduction in pain, stiffness and poor mobility.
“How do I tell the difference between good, and bad orthotics?”
It’s actually quite simple to tell the difference between good and bad orthotic insoles because to ensure that they will do the job, you will need to have an assessment beforehand.
At Paul Gough Physio Rooms, we scan each foot to identify the exact specifications that your orthotic insoles need to be and send this information to a lab where your orthotics are custom made.
The scanning process is completed using an electronic device (similar to an iPad) which takes various measurements and images. The scans shouldn’t cause any discomfort and is very quick.
By doing this, we ensure the fastest and most effective pain relief from your symptoms.
Compare this to buying orthotic insoles off the shelf from a shoe retailer or supermarket. There is virtually no chance of those orthotics being right for you because of the uniqueness of each person.
“How do I find out more about orthotic insoles?”
At Paul Gough Physio Rooms, we have four North East clinics (Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool) and we would like to invite you to a free consultation to find out more about orthotics so you can decide for yourself whether they would be right for you.
Contact our team on 01429 866 771 or arrange a free physiotherapy consultations, where you can speak to a member of our team, and ask any questions that you have.
Other Free Resources:
We have free, downloadable reports for people with Back Pain, Knee Pain, or Neck And Shoulder Pain
Read Our Blog – Prescription Foot Orthotics
Read Our Blog – Do I Need Shoe Inserts?
Read Our Blog – What You Need To Know About Foot Pain
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You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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