Can Orthotics Help with Sciatic Pain?
When you’re experiencing leg or foot pain, it can affect daily living in many ways. Everyday activities can become a chore, and the pain can cause stress in other parts of your body, such as your back; merely standing or walking can become an excruciating task.
Foot pain can stem from osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage in the joints), posttraumatic arthritis due to a previous injury, gout that centers on the big toe, or other causes. Foot discomfort and structural issues such as bunions and hammertoes caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus inflammation can spread beyond your feet, which can lead to shin pain, knee pain and pain in the lower back.
Do Orthotics Help with Arthritis?
There are many ways that orthotics can help alleviate pain in people with arthritis. Custom orthotics & orthotic insoles can help patients suffering from pain caused by many conditions, including:
Osteoarthritis (OA)
You’ve spent years walking, running, and doing physical activities, and each of those years the 28 bones in your feet have provided support, so it’s easy to understand how, during that time, it’s worn away the cartilage and fluid lining that lubricate the ends of each bone. OA is a progressive disease of the whole joint that leads to a breakdown of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, typically presenting as joint tenderness, bone spurs, and bone-on-bone pain.
Posttraumatic Arthritis (PA)
An injury to the foot or ankle can cause PA. Commonly occurring in the big toe, PA occurs when there is jamming or breaking in the toe or ankle due to a severe sprain or fracture. Symptoms of arthritis can occur many years after the injury happens.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
A chronic autoimmune disease that affects the lining of your joints and affects the entire body. Painful symptoms often start in the feet. RA can stem from an infection that activates the immune system to attack the joints.
Gout
A type of arthritis that affects people who have high levels of uric acid in their blood. Excess uric acid crystals settle that around the joints of the big toe cause intense pain and inflammation.
Do Orthotics Work?
If you have arthritis, your pedorthist may suggest an orthotic, or custom insert for your shoe, to help you deal with the pain. You may wonder, do orthotics help relieve foot pain for people with arthritis? The good news is, yes, shoe inserts can not only ease the pain, but they can also correct structural issues that may be causing the pain. Orthotics redistribute your weight (which relieves the pressure on sensitive areas of your feet), provide cushioning to absorb shock, reduce stress on your lower body, and correct any issues with gait and structure.
Do Orthotics Relieve Arthritis Pain?
Many studies show that people who wear orthotics experience less severe foot pain and require fewer pain-relieving medications. Other studies suggest that using custom-made orthotics can create long-term biomechanical changes that may not only slow but also prevent the progression of arthritis. According to a Cochrane Review, there is evidence that custom-made orthotic inserts can reduce foot pain for people suffering from:
- Bunions
- Plantar fasciitis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
- Painful high arches
Get Arthritic Foot Pain Support
If you suffer from foot, shin, knee, or back pain, you should ask your doctor if you should schedule an appointment with a pedorthist. They will examine your feet, ankles, knees and hips, and check your gait to determine if an orthotic would be right for you. If you have questions about your foot pain, caused by gout, arthritis, or injury, contact SoleScience today. We’re your London ON certified pedorthists, and we have answers!
You may also like
