Athletes place grueling, constant demands on their weight-bearing joints, including the numerous joints and supporting tissues of the feet. When your arches succumb to excessive or unnatural strain, you may feel the painful results not only in your feet, but in your ankles, knees, and lower back as well. That's when chiropractic orthotics from Active Life Team Chiropractic can make all the difference in your ability to compete.
How Sports Injuries Affect the Feet and Other Structures
Normally, the arches of the normally distribute your body weight to minimize strain on the feet and other weight-bearing joints. Unfortunately, the arches themselves are not always normal in construction. High arches (over supination) or flat feet (overpronation) can cause stress and inflammation in the plantar fascia, the tissue that supports the arch's shape. The result is a painful overuse injury called plantar fasciitis. Untreated arch imbalances can also place abnormal stress on the knee, hip, or ankle structures.
Athletes with arch support issues find themselves at special risk for injuries. The extra pressure they place on their feet as they run, jump, or support heavy loads of aggravating tissue strain. Overpronation can also promote sports injuries such as toe fractures and shin splints.
Orthotics and Supportive Care at Active Life Team Chiropractic
Dr. Charmaine Magale, DC, CCSP can restore balance to unbalanced arches through the use of orthotics. These shoe inserts conform to your individual feet, providing the right degree of cushioning in the right areas to normalize your weight distribution and ease the strain on your arches. These corrections can also help to straighten out your posture, reducing low back pain, knee pain, hip pain, and other common sports afflictions.
Orthotics often complement a holistic sports injury recovery program that also features other drug-free, non-surgical methods. Our chiropractic team may recommend spinal adjustment or other kinds of therapy to help you get the greatest benefit from your orthotics. Dr. Magale, DC, CCSP may also recommend changes to your workout regimen, sports technique, or everyday lifestyle that can help you maintain optimal musculoskeletal balance and avoid future sports injuries.
Can Orthotics Put You Back on the Playing Field? Contact Us to Find Out.
Don't miss out on your favorite athletic activities due to nagging foot inflammation or other sports injuries -- find out whether orthotics can help you keep playing. Contact our chiropractic team to schedule a consultation.
Orthotics are a great way to help with issues related to walking and alignment, including knee, foot, and lower back pain. They can help to realign the bones in the foot and ankle, and take stress off other parts of the body, such as the back, neck, shoulders, and hips. Custom foot orthotics also cushion your feet, provide comfort, support your arches, and evenly distribute your body weight to eliminate pressure on your feet.
How Do Orthotics Work?
Custom foot orthotics are specially-made devices that fit inside most shoes. They match the contours of your feet precisely, and are designed for the way you move.
Orthotics can help anyone with discomfort relating to walking, or imbalances in the body that are known to cause related pain. A tremendous benefit of custom orthotics is that they can be worn on a daily basis and utilized during most activities.
Custom orthotics can be prescribed by your chiropractor, and last well over a year in most cases. While over-the-counter shoe inserts are available at most drugstores, they lack the custom-built precision of a prescription orthotic. These ‘one-size-fits-all’ inserts rarely match your feet well, or provide the customized support you need.
Interested in incorporating orthotics into your treatment plan? Contact your trusted chiropractor and schedule an appointment to discuss how custom orthotics might ease your discomfort.
