Orthotics - Yes or No?

Orthotics is a topic I'm asked about frequently. An orthotic is a device inserted into your shoe to support your foot and relieve pain.

The question many people ask me is whether orthotics are a good idea or not.

My answer......It depends!

Pro's = Alters foot alignment and balance which may reduce pain and keep you moving
Con's = Doesn't train the foot to stay balanced and stable without support.

Consider this....

"The foot is made, it's formed by the way we use it". (Hubert Godart).

Think about a baby's feet vs an adult's feet. A baby's feet are shapeless, more like little flippers, because they haven't yet begun to walk. The arches and structures of our feet are formed and shaped by the way we walk, the way we transmit movement to them. 

Have you ever appreciated the design of your feet? They're truly marvels of natural engineering!

Each foot is made up of:

• 26 bones
• 33 joints
• Over 100 ligaments and muscles

The foot is designed for BOTH great stability and great mobility. 

There are 2x longitudinal arches on each foot. They run from the toes (metatarsals) all the way down to the heel (calcaneus). Let's refer to these longitudinal arches as toe lines. 

Each toe line is responsible for supporting a specific area of the pelvis, hip joint and pelvic floor.

You have an outside arch made up of toe lines 4 and 5 = the little toe on the outside of the foot and the 4th toe next to it.

Your inside arch is made of toe lines 1, 2 and 3. Toe line 1 starts with the big toe on the inside of the foot.

The outside arch gives us stability = the landing foot when walking or running.

The inside arch offers mobility and flexibility = the take-off foot when walking or running.

Your feet also need to adapt to the terrain underneath them. You can imagine if you're walking on rough or uneven ground, and your foot is rigid, it would be easy to roll and sprain your ankle. However, if you're walking on deep, soft sand your feet need to be stiffer so you don't end up wallowing and sinking.

How your feet interact with the ground hugely influences all the structures above them.

Your pelvis is the master controller of all movement patterns in the body, but it sits on top the legs, attached at the hip joints. At the bottom of the leg are the ankles and feet. 

Therefore the orientation and balance of the feet is a huge factor in the alignment and function of the pelvis, hips, sacrum and lumbar spine. 

This is why awareness and control of the feet is always part of my Stretch and Pilates classes. Finding balance and stability from the ground up is Day 1 of my new workshop retreat. Instability is a major factor in wear and tear, and injuries happening. Moving your body with ease and confidence comes more naturally when you feel balanced and stable.

When you're out and about in your day you're probably wearing shoes, which dulls your sense of your feet. It's a bit like putting on oven gloves and then doing your normal daily routine, like brushing your teeth, making your breakfast, getting dressed and driving your car!

The more you practice feeling what it's like when your feet are orientated well and balanced vs what it feels like when they're misaligned and unbalanced, the quicker you can correct them. That's favourable to waiting until your lower back begins hurting or your knee starts aching.

By developing awareness of their feet I've helped class members improve their balance, and reduce ankle, knee, hip and lower back pain.

If you've had a knee or hip replacement re-balancing the feet is a crucial element to regaining function and movement confidence post-surgery.

Orthotics - Yes or No?

When I'm asked this question by a class member my answer is based on that person's individual circumstances.

For many, an orthotic will provide alignment, support and comfort to the foot, enabling them to keep moving with less pain. 

However, the orthotic doesn't change the foot internally, so it can only provide temporary relief when it's being worn. 

That's why I believe that it's also important to train the foot without shoes, even if that means sitting down to de-load the foot if it's too painful to stand barefoot.

Training and re-educating the feet doesn't have to involve balancing on 1 leg. In fact, this could be counter-productive if you don't have sufficient sensory awareness or motor control of the foot and ankle.

You can train awareness and control into your feet standing, sitting and lying down on both your back (supine) and tummy (prone).

Many of my class members have had major breakthrough moments when they learn to re-connect with their feet, and feel the interaction of their feet with the ground, and how the feet communicate with their knees, hips, pelvis, spine and glute muscles.

A significant part of my recovery from a lower back muscle strain in 2020 and preventing further flare ups of pain has been re-establishing stability, control and balance back into my right ankle and foot following an innocuous, minor ankle sprain several years prior.

Take-away

Yes, orthotics may help to improve foot comfort so you can stay active with less pain.

In addition to using the orthotic when out and about or exercising, aim to include exercises that re-train strength, alignment, sensory awareness, motor control, flexibility and balance back into your feet.

NEXT STEPS

1) Have you got your free copy of my new E-guide "How To Get Relief From Back Pain & Muscle Tension in Just 10 mins a Day"? You'll get access to 2x video tutorials that will show you how to re-balance the front and back of your body to bring instant relief from lower back pain and persistent muscle tension. 

Get your copy HERE.

2) Get on the early bird wait list for my brand new weekend workshop retreats: EARLY BIRD LIST 

.Over 2 half days you will learn the knowledge and skills to be able to

- find stability, balance and safety in your body to reduce joint wear and tear, lower your risk of getting injured by falling and increase your resilience to injury

- reduce pain and release muscle tension quickly in the comfort of your home without expensive kit or waiting for an emergency appointment

- move with ease and freedom so you can stay active and live life as you want without pain slowing you down.

The workshop retreats will be a deeply relaxing, fully immersive mind-body experience with a restorative movement practice, guided meditation and a sound bath at the end of each day.

As well as the weekend workshop retreat you'll also have 30 days of 1:1 support with me to help you build your own home care movement routine that works for your body - no cookie cutter, one size fits all approach here! 

There are just 6 spaces for each weekend workshop retreat. This first one kicks off in February 2024.

Get on the early bird interest list here to receive all the details first:

EARLY BIRD LIST 

3) You can also:

• Book into a Stretch, Yoga or Pilates class with me - these are a good introduction to The BYB Method and take the first steps to your pain-free body.
• Attend a mind-body retreat - these are deeply relaxing, fun, social small group experiences typically held in various locations within easy reach of Worthing, West Sussex. The next retreat is  "Sun & Moon" mini retreat on Sunday 17th December (only 1x space left). Click HERE to read more about them,
• Subscribe HERE to receive "The Movement Chronicle", a weekly e-newsletter delivering mobility and pain reduction tips directly into your inbox every Monday morning,

If you would like support with managing pain or an injury please reach out to me on any of these channels:

• Email at norma.pearson1@ntlworld.com
• DM me on Facebook Messenger 
• WhatsApp message to 07801 867361.