Arch support is a feature found in many shoes. If you are looking for athletic shoes, one of the features will surely be arch support. Arch insoles are not just for support but make shoes fit comfortably and help you boost your athletic performance.
Arch supports are also external devices that you can insert into shoes to help support your arches and evenly distribute the weight of your body. You slip them into your shoes instead of them being built into your shoes. They are also called orthotics and are found in pharmacies, sports stores, shoe stores. They can also be custom-made specifically for your feet through a podiatrist.
How To Know if Arch Support is Too Much?
When it comes to choosing arch supports, the key is finding the right height. It’s very possible to go overboard. You will know arch insoles may be too high if you are feel pain and discomfort in the heel. Arch supports are often used as a treatment for many foot conditions, such as plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, bunions, hammertoes, heel spurs, and arthritis. These conditions usually cause pain, and arch supports – the correct ones – can alleviate the symptoms. If your symptoms are not alleviated, it likely means your arch supports are not correct.
Other signs that arch support may be too high are if you feel like there is an odd object in your shoe or if something is digging into your arch. If you wear arch supports that are the wrong height long enough, you could start to feel worse pain, body aches, and develop injuries.
If you are a runner, proper arch support is imperative. For some runners with normal feet, arch support may affect performance and make them run slower. For others with flat feet, arch support may help them run faster. If you do not feel any pain and develop any issues while engaging in the sport, you may want to hold off on using arch supports. Better yet, consult a podiatrist for a personalized recommendation.
Other Reasons Why Your Arch Supports Could Cause Pain
You can have too much arch support, or you can have arch insoles or orthotics that are too rigid, too flexible, or the arch positioning is incorrect. If you have a foot condition, you are best served by custom-made arch supports, which allow you to specify your needs with regard to the height, materials, and other details used to create your very own orthotics. In addition, because custom-made orthotics are created with the help and guidance of a podiatrist, you are much more likely to be happy with the results.
Custom Orthotics in Cincinnati, OH
To get arch supports that are made specifically for you, consider custom-made orthotics. At Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care, we use the most advanced system by Allied OSI Labs to create a 3D digital cast of your foot to get comprehensive information about your arch, gait, and pressure points, and for optimal precision. With this technology, the problem of having too much or too little arch support goes away.
Our podiatrists are proud to offer you this highly advanced service. If you are interested, schedule an appointment with us. Call our podiatry clinic nearest you or use our convenient online request form.
