Without proper arch support, various issues can arise, including shin splints, heel spurs, stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, and bunions. Poor foot alignment can even contribute to back and neck pain.

More concerning, however, is that prolonged lack of arch support can lead to damaging compensatory arthritis, ultimately resulting in the need for knee and hip replacements.

This occurs due to an overpronated foot causing the Q angle at the knee to deviate 20–30 degrees from the normal gravitational line, causing the knee to gradually wear down and become arthritic. This leads to the need for future knee replacements. As the foot flattens, the inward rotation of the lower leg causes the hip on that side to drop, leading to pelvic unleveling. Over time, the femoral head grinds into the acetabulum, resulting in pain, damage, and arthritis in the hip joint—eventually necessitating a hip replacement if left uncorrected.

We’ve even found at our office that some patients experienced limited progress in their back and neck recovery before our care, due to underlying issues with their arches—even though they had no noticeable symptoms in their feet.

You may be asking yourself, is there anything that I can look for to determine the status of my arches? Are there certain red flags that I can look for? There are. Does either or both of your feet flare as you stand or walk? Does either of your knees internally rotate? Are your Achilles tendons bowed? Does your wet footprint appear overly wide? Do you have uneven wear occurring to your shoes?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, a foot scan is highly recommended.

Orthotics play a crucial role in improving posture and overall health by providing proper support, alignment, and balance to the body. They help correct foot imbalances that can affect the alignment of the ankles, knees, hips, and spine. By supporting the natural arch of the foot, orthotics prevent excessive pronation (inward rolling) or supination (outward rolling), reducing strain on joints and muscles.

Poor foot mechanics often lead to pain in the feet, legs, lower back, and even the neck. Orthotics distribute pressure evenly, alleviating pain associated with conditions like plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and lower back discomfort.

Beyond pain relief, orthotics enhance mobility and stability by providing a strong foundation for movement, making them particularly beneficial for elderly individuals or those with arthritis or diabetes. This improved stability helps reduce the risk of falls and injuries. Misalignment in the feet can also cause compensatory changes in posture, leading to muscle fatigue and joint strain. By promoting a neutral posture, orthotics help prevent issues such as scoliosis, hip misalignment, and knee pain.

For athletes, orthotics optimize foot mechanics, enhance movement efficiency, and reduce the risk of overuse injuries by absorbing shock and minimizing impact forces on the body. Additionally, they provide essential support for individuals with medical conditions such as diabetes, relieving pressure points and preventing complications like foot ulcers. By addressing biomechanical issues at their source, orthotics contribute to better posture, reduced pain, and improved overall health.

You may be wondering, is there a difference between over-the-counter inserts, hard, and soft orthotics?

Not all orthotics are created equally. Over-the-counter inserts promise solutions, but they don’t address your unique feet, body, or health needs. These mass-produced inserts are symmetrical in shape and are incapable of addressing the variations in right and left foot imbalance and over-pronation. They usually only support one arch, and that is usually overcorrected. Since they are not made specifically for you, they can aggravate symptoms and may cause new problems throughout your body.

So, what about soft or hard orthotics? From a chiropractic standpoint, whenever you totally restrict the motion of a joint, it results in imbalances and accelerates degeneration.

Soft flexible custom orthotics support optimal gait dynamics as opposed to a more rigid orthotic that limits movement. Flexible orthotics also allow the foot to compress and absorb shock but at the same time block excessive damaging pronation. They facilitate efficient, symmetrical joint function of the lower extremities while enhancing the neuromuscular response and postural stability.

Early podiatric orthotics were made from rigid materials based on non–weight-bearing molds of the foot. However, prolonged use of these orthotics often led to lower back pain because they restricted the necessary movement of the subtalar joint during walking.

The foot must be able to flatten slightly to absorb shock. This dynamic movement also sends important proprioceptive signals to the brain, which influence gait, posture, and balance. When foot motion is restricted too much, it can lead to abnormal weight-bearing, joint inflammation, tissue damage, and premature degeneration.

Rigid orthotics are based on the outdated theory that the foot should be held at its highest arch position. However, this fails to consider the foot’s natural ability to function as a dynamic, shock-absorbing mechanism.

To assess the structure of your body we utilize the latest technology along with taking a comprehensive history and exam. Our foot scanner is a high-tech 3D scanner that pinpoints with great accuracy the deficiencies of each foot. We then combine this information with the information we have gathered about your overall posture from one of the most updated A.I Computer Vision Assisted Analyses. This scan allows us to accurately measure angles and linear distances of postural displacements in static posture as well as moving posture, to give us an accurate description of the postural state your body is in and how it is affecting your overall health.

At our office, we carefully assess each patient’s foot structure to identify any abnormalities. We then provide custom-made orthotics tailored to each individual’s personal needs, assuring the best possible support, alignment, and overall health.

We look forward to helping you address any issues you may presently be experiencing. Please call our office to address these issues.