Why Custom Orthotics Are Your Best Investment During the Fall

So, you’ve retired your summer sandals by now and are ready to bust out the lug sole beaters and bulky boots. You're suddenly spending more time walking on hard surfaces or navigating uneven ground hidden by fallen leaves. It sounds like October is coming to an end, and your footwear transition is now more drastic and necessary. We at PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center want to make sure you’re ready for this transition. Our best recommendation? Custom orthotics.

Footwear Fatigue and Custom Orthotics

The shift in your shoe wardrobe is a major factor. If these scenarios apply to you, custom orthotics are right up your alley (the third applies to everyone!):

1)       Your summer shoes didn't offer support, and now your feet may be strained.

2)       You often wear heavier, stiffer boots in the fall and winter. Although these shoes are warm, they can restrict your foot's natural movement and force existing deformities like bunions to rub painfully.

3)       The very ground changes: slippery, uneven sidewalks, leaves, and hard pavement demand peak stability and shock absorption.

The Stability of Custom Orthotics

Custom orthotics are uniquely positioned to solve these seasonal problems because they don't rely on the shoe's built-in support, which often breaks down quickly. Instead, they provide a precise, custom-built foundation for your feet.

  • Tackling Plantar Fasciitis: Custom orthotics control the inward rolling of your feet that stretches your plantar fascia. They keep your foot stable, which allows that strained ligament to rest and heal, and prevents the heel pain that often strikes when you run around during sports practice.

  • Neutralizing Uneven Ground: Walking in fall requires heightened stability. Orthotics align your foot and ankle into a more neutral position and enhance your body’s natural ability to maintain balance. Leave ankle sprains in 2024.

  • Adapting to Bulkier Boots: Many fall and winter boots lack arch support. Orthotics ensure that your personalized support system travels with you, fitting inside those bulkier boots to maintain proper alignment and cushioning. They also distribute pressure evenly and prevent the stiff boot material from causing painful rubbing or irritation on bunions or hammertoes.

  • Reducing Joint Strain: The thinning of natural fat pads combined with walking on hard surfaces simply aggravates your joints. But the specialized design of a custom orthotic reduces the stress sent to your ankles, knees, and back.

Your CUSTOM Fall Foot Strategy

We urge you to use your custom orthotics daily, even if you are just wearing casual shoes.

Keep up all autumn with constant support you can trust.

At PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center, we treat a wide variety of foot and ankle ailments. Dr. Matthew Tschudy, Dr. Rebecca Wiesner, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and the rest of our team are ready to serve our Hartford County patients. To schedule an appointment at our Enfield location, call (860) 741-3041; for an appointment at our South Windsor location, call (860) 644-6525.

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