Why Do I Need Orthotics?

If your feet don't work right, you hurt ALL over.  Remember the old song, "the foot bone's connected to the shin bone, the shin bone's connected to the thigh bone ... all the way up to the neck bone"?  Well, your aching feet, your trick knee, your stiff back or that crick in your neck may come from abnormal foot bio-mechanics.

Your physical therapist, with special training in biomechanics, a branch of medical science dealing with human motion and posture, will evaluate you from head to toe, both dynamically (while moving) and statically (when at rest).

Some of the mechanisms observed during this type of examination are supination (rolling out)  and pronation (collapsing in)  of your feet.  If abnormal, a very important aspect of your treatment will be the prescription of functional foot orthotics.

Here at Schubbe Resch Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Centers, we do prescribe functional foot orthotics.  Functional orthotics capture the neutral position for the sub-talar joint.  During casting, the therapists find the mid-stance position to compensate for foot deformities. Posts or wedges built in the orthotics allow the foot to function around its neutral position.

Our office also offers pre-made orthotics.  This type of orthotic may be helpful for some patients,  however, the orthotics will accommodate whatever position the foot is in along with any deformities that are present.  The off-the -shelf orthotics are not made to correct deformities.  Their main purpose is to redistribute plantar pressure to prevent pain.

Insurance plans may or may not cover custom orthotics, and usually will not cover off-the -shelf orthotics.  However, the cost to the patient may be worth the reduction in foot and spine pain.