Stop foot pain with orthotics

Your feet work so hard.

Whether you spend your days styling hair, waiting on tables, caring for patients, or just running errands, you put a lot of wear and tear on your tootsies.

Yet with all that punishment, few of us think about our feet until they scream "Ouch!"

"A patient once told me, 'Everything is fine unless your feet or your head hurt,'" says Bridget Lawler, a certified prosthetist and orthotist at West Coast Brace & Limb in North Tampa. "That is the best description I've ever heard. (Foot pain) affects your entire day."

In a recent American Podiatric Medical Association survey, 36 percent of respondents reported that severe foot pain hampered their daily lives. Some end up getting cortisone injections or surgery. For many, the answer is orthotics.

Orthotic insoles, which are inserts for your shoes, can help relieve chronic aches and pains of the foot and heels due to flat feet (or fallen arches), heel spurs and plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the tissue under the foot due to overstretching), and even hip and knee pain.

They are designed to correct faulty foot function and reduce the amount of ankle roll and arch flattening as you walk. A good pair of orthotics will realign the feet and ankle bones to their neutral position, restoring natural foot function.

Lawler and other foot experts say anyone who walks can benefit.

"(Orthotics) provide stability to the body," says Greg Bauer, president of West Coast Brace & Limb. "It all starts with your feet."

Joyce Stansky was born with congenital hip disease that led to arthritis as a teenager. After six surgeries to correct the problem, she found little relief.

Last year, Stansky paid about $250 for pre-formed arch supports and noticed an improvement in her pain and balance almost immediately.

"I limped in there with a girlfriend," says Stansky, 52, of Maine, who purchased her orthotics from Good Feet in Tampa. "I stood up on the orthotics and she started to cry. It was the first time I ever walked straight. I thought it was too good to be true. It was a phenomenal change. I've never walked so much in my life."

Stansky liked the orthotics so much, she stars in a commercial for the Good Feet brand.

"I am not walking completely normal, but I am so much stronger at the core," she says. "I can walk my dog, go shopping and be on my feet for more than 20 minutes a day."

There are many types of orthotics on the market, all at different price points.

Prefabricated insoles like Dr. Scholl's are available at most local drug stores for $10 to $30. Custom-made insoles can cost a few hundred dollars. Your insurance policy may cover some or all of the cost.

Foot experts say many people can find relief with over-the-counter insoles. Dr. Scholl's has set up foot scanners at drug stores to help make buying orthotics easier. Customers step onto a scanner that identifies pressure points and arch type, and they are directed to the appropriate insole for their foot type.

Bauer says these insoles can provide extra support for people who have mild foot pain or fatigue, but they probably won't provide enough support for more serious problems.

Also, if the foot isn't positioned properly on the scanner, it could give a false read or diagnosis, Bauer says.

For more complex foot issues, a prescription for a custom orthotic may be a better fit.

Bauer says patients should first see a podiatrist who can diagnose whether foot pain can be relieved by an orthotic or if it is caused by a more serious condition.

A custom-made orthotic requires an exam by a podiatrist who looks at how a person walks and all the joints from the knee down to the toe, Bauer says.

In fitting the orthotic, Bauer makes an impression of the foot using a box made of foam or a liquid plaster mold that captures the arch of the patient's foot in a neutral position. "Before we make the orthotic, we manipulate the feet to free up the joint so that when we cast them for the orthotic, the foot is in the correct position," says Bauer, whose grandfather was an orthotist.

Inside a lab, the orthotic is handcrafted and ready to be tried on in a matter of hours. Adjustments can be made as needed for a proper fit. Even if you find a good insole, there can be an adjustment phase.

Since orthotics force you to walk differently, it's normal for your muscles to be sore the first time you wear them.

"You're going to have some mild muscle soreness as you wear it because it's changing the way you walk," Lawler says. "We recommend wearing the orthotic seven to 10 days to break it in."