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ABOUT ORTHOSES
What Are Foot
Orthoses
Feet
are a lot like children. If you don't offer them proper
control and guidance they may develop problems later on.
Many foot problems develop from lack of control (wearing
ill-fitting shoes, shoes without any arch support, shoes
that are not appropriate for the activity engaged in,
failing to warm-up properly exercise, etc.). Offer your feet
proper control, and you can avoid many problems later in
life. The object of Orthotic Therapy, therefore, is to
establish or restore control, diminished through injury or
aging, and re-create normal foot functioning to eliminate
existing problems and to avoid new ones.
A foot orthotic is a shoe insert
prescribed by a medical practitioner to treat certain types
of foot and ankle pain; bunions; osteoarthritis; fallen
arches; some consequences of diabetis; limb length
discrepancies; heel pain, and other more technical
disorders. Many foot problems caused by disease and injury
or resulting from the normal aging process can be improved
with foot orthoses. Still other problems, such as knee, hip
or back discomfort, may have their origins in foot-related
disorders. Children who have developed in-toe or out-toe
gait problems, teenagers with sports injuries, adults
experiencing overuse injuries, or seniors who have morning
foot discomfort when first standing are typical examples of
conditions which respond well to orthotic therapy.
Orthoses are either prescription or
prefabricated , and are further subdivided into functional
and accommodative types. A prescription orthosis is custom
designed for a particular patient, while a prefabricated
orthosis is generic. Prescription orthoses start with an
electronically scanned foot image, plaster cast or foam
block impression made by a clinician from a patient's feet.
That image or cast is then sent to an orthotic laboratory
where it is electronically or manually corrected and a
moldblock is designed which will produce an orthotic device
that treats the patient's individual disorder. The type of
orthosis chosen by the pratitioner depends on the patient's
particular problem, age, activity level, weight and other
factors affecting foot function.
A prefabricated orthotic is formed on a
pre-constructed moldblock and sized to a patient's shoe. Why
a "generic" foot orthotic? Sometimes a patient only needs
support in the foot arch area, a problem easily solved with
this type of device. Better quality prefabricated foot
orthoses are specially designed to provide good arch support
and comfort. Prefabricated orthoses can be fitted with
additional external heel control or "post" to further
improve foot function.
Both types of orthoses, prescription and prefabricated,
offer varying degrees of biomechanical support, control and
correction. Biomechanics, by the way, is the study of normal
and abnormal body motion and function, sort of like
engineering applied to humans. The prescription device,
designed exactly to a model of the patient's feet and for
that person's particular problem, is a more aggressive and
effective treatment modality. People without significant
foot pathology, but who experience minor discomfort,
especially related to the normal aging process, may still
benefit from simple arch support.
Prescription
foot orthoses can be either functional or accommodative. A
functional device is generally more rigid and usually has an
external heel device or "post" attached to the bottom of the
orthotic for better foot control. This type of orthosis acts
to change impaired foot motion and re-establish normal foot
function. An accommodative orthosis, on the other hand, is
not designed specifically to change foot function, rather,
it allows the patient to continue to function as usual but
with greater comfort and support.
Foot
orthoses can be activity-specific, as well as shoe-specific.
For instance, the dynamic forces encountered by people
playing tennis, soccer or skiing are all different, thus
each person might require different control features
designed into their orthoses. The same is true for someone
who is more active than another. Women wearing more
stylishly designed pumps have different orthosis fit
requirements than those wearing roomier shoes. Special
orthoses are available that provide support and correction
while fitting higher heeled women's shoes. All of these
considerations are taken into account by the clinician
prescribing foot orthoses. The more aggressively an orthosis
is shaped to fit a stylish shoe, the more functional control
is compromised by narrowing the device. After all, it is the
design of the orthotic that makes it perform effectively. To
avoid problems associated with shoe fit, your practitioner
may recommend that patients purchase slightly larger foot
wear.
Copyright© 2001 by Precision Orthotic Lab Internatinal. All
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