Many people suffer from foot problems and have chronic pain as a result. However, what many don’t know is that they can find relief by getting fitted with custom orthotics for their shoes. You can further benefit from performing exercises for healthy feet. The combination of using orthotics and performing certain exercises can ensure that your feet stay the healthiest they can possibly be and feel great.
Getting Custom Orthotics
If you have had your feet examined and evaluated by a podiatrist and were diagnosed with a specific foot problem such as flat feet, a hammertoe or a bunion, you are a good candidate for custom orthotics. Orthotics are inserts for your shoes that are custom designed to fit your feet. No two people receive the same set of inserts because every individual and their feet are different.
One of the best places you can turn to for your custom orthotic inserts is Align Custom Fit Footwear. The company is located in the Milton area of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and has a great reputation for providing customers with the best custom-designed orthotics. The experienced Milton orthotics shoe company knows that each person is unique, and so are their feet. When you choose to get your orthotic inserts, you will first receive a personalized analysis of your body alignment that focuses on your entire body and not just your feet. Align utilizes a process that encompasses five steps to detect imbalances that can lead to future problems or analyze those with which you are already struggling.
Custom orthotics are created using intricate technology that produces 3D scans. Those scans are used to produce the perfect inserts for your shoes so that you will get the most benefit when standing, walking and performing a number of other physical activities on a daily basis.
Teaching You How to Choose the Right Footwear
In addition to receiving the right custom orthotics for your feet, Align also gives you a personalized tutorial so that you can learn how to choose the right kind of footwear for your particular needs and biomechanics. It’s important to remember that when you suffer from foot problems and specific foot conditions, it’s not simply your inserts that make a difference, but the type of footwear, in general, is also a factor.
Exercises to Keep Your Feet Healthy
To truly get the maximum benefit from your custom orthotic inserts as well as your footwear itself, it’s important to regularly perform certain exercises that can keep your feet healthy. It’s common to experience pain and discomfort in the feet when you are standing for more than four hours per day. This is because your feet bear the entirety of your weight when you stand. Here are some simple but necessary exercises for your feet that can keep them healthy and help you to feel better:
• Point your toes: One of the best exercises for alleviating foot pain is to lift your foot and roll it down until your toes are pointed toward the floor. Flex your foot and then repeat by using your other foot. This exercise can help to ease aching and improve the blood circulation of your feet.
• Raise your heels: If your toes get cramped, raising your heels is a good way to bring relief, especially when you’ve been standing for hours in shoes that constrict the toes. Stand and lift up your heels until you’re standing on the balls of the feet. Hold the pose for around 10 seconds and then do nine more repetitions.
• Squeeze your toes: This is especially helpful if you suffer from a hammertoe. Use toe separators and squeeze the toes together for five seconds. Repeat the motion 10 times.
• Roll a ball: Roll a ball under the ball of your foot and use light pressure for a couple of minutes. This exercise is like a foot massage, which can bring a lot of relief. It also helps for foot cramps, plantar fasciitis and heel or arch pain.
• Stretch standing up: Stand and place your toes against the wall, then lean forward so that your arch stretches. Do the same with the other foot.
• Stretch sitting down: Sit down and cross your leg so your ankle is on your thigh. Hold your toes and bend them toward your shin. This motion stretches the tissue that connects the bottom of your heel to the ball of your food and is good for easing pain from plantar fasciitis.
If you need custom orthotics, contact Align to schedule an appointment.
