Orthitic Insoles

Foot orthotic, medical insole, making orthotics.

What is an Orthotic? An Orthotic is a medical insole or insert for the shoe.

The average person takes 6000 steps every day. That is more than 2 million steps every year. Every time you take a step, over 2 and a half times your body weight is being transferred through each foot. It’s no wonder that feet can cause so much pain if something isn’t working correctly. In fact, it’s amazing that so few people have ever experienced foot pain. However, anyone who has ever suffered from foot pain knows just how debilitating it can be. Clinical observation shows a link between foot pain and conditions such as fatigue, depression and weight gain due lack of exercise.

The foot and ankle is a complex series of structures involving many small joints, all prone to problems given the forces being translated through them during the course of a day. In addition, the surrounding tendons and ligaments are more often the cause of the pain than the joints themselves. People that have suffered foot pain know just how long it can take to see an orthotic specialist to have investigations. Maybe you are still waiting?

You might benefit from orthotics if you have any of the following:

Arch pain - Flat feet (low arch) - Cavus foot (high arch)
Excessive Calluses - Bunions - Metatarsal pain
Heel pain - Plantar fasciitis - Heel spurs - Achilles tendonistis
lower leg/ankle pain - Shin splints - Neuromas - Cramping
Knee pain - Knock knees - Hip pain - Pelvis pain
Lower back pain - Arthritis - poor posture
A feeling of "rolling in" or "rolling out" when you walk.
A feeling of being unstable when you walk.

At Tony Andrews we have Foot Orthotics, or inserts to correct an abnormal, or irregular, walking pattern. They perform functions that make standing, walking, and running more comfortable and efficient, by altering slightly the angles at which the foot strikes a walking or running surface. Foot Orthotics from Tony Andrews are known to solve a number of biomechanically related problems, not only for obvious foot problems but also for ankle and knee pain, pelvis, hip,and spinal pain.

This is achieved by preventing misalignment of the foot which can significantly alter the way in which the bones move within their joints. Foot Orthotics take various forms and are constructed of various materials. All are concerned with improving foot function and minimizing stress forces that could ultimately cause foot deformity and pain.

While varying in design all orthotic supports are mostly aimed at the mass market, this is fine in many cases but to be fully effective each support should be tailored to the individual. Increased knowledge of Biomechanics and Orthotic correction of 'unseen' problems has led to more specific prescriptive treatment with casting and bespoke individual insoles.

Making Orthotics

Firstly an impression of your foot is made out of phenolic foam. and then an insole is manufactured from the cast at Tony Andrews workshop. The insole is then only suitable for your feet. They are special because they are made specially for you unlike cheaper over the counter orthotics.

They can be made to suit various types of footwear including heeled shoes and sports shoes and can also be moved from one pair of similar shoes to another.

The orthotics (insoles) are then worn in your footwear to re-align the foot position, correcting and controlling foot and leg function. They take pressure off certain areas of the foot and increase comfort or stability since abnormal motion may be the underlying cause of foot, lower limb and back problems.

Prescription functional orthotics are hand finished at Tony Andrews and are semi flexible and high quality. They optimize your foot mechanics and body alignment.

At Tony Andrews we can recover your existing orthotics with Many types of leather or suede, or we can put add ons to your current inserts.

Plantar Fasciitis

Treatment

Treatment is usually conservative (non surgical). Foot orthoses (insoles) are commonly used to treat plantar fasciitis. The biomechanical efficiency of the foot is assessed and an appropriate orthotic device provided to improve the foot posture and efficiency. Pronated feet (low or collapsed arches) are a common factor in plantar fasciitis. The lowering of the arch places strain on the plantar fascia at the attachment into the heel bone. The strain causes swelling which leads to intense pain. A foot orthosis can reduce the strain by correcting the pronated foot position. Removing this strain will allow the swelling to disappear over a short space of time and the pain will dissipate. Continued use of the insole will reduce the likelihood of the pain recurring. There are many other foot deficiencies which can cause plantar fasciitis and a biomechanical assessment will flag these problems up. Most foot deficiencies can be treated with orthotics. For more information, please contact Tony Andrews.

Achilles Tendonitis

• Pain in the lower calf
• Pain behind the heel
• Small lump just above the heel

Causes

Inflammation of the insertion of the Achilles tendon. As with most inflammatory conditions, improper biomechanical function at the foot and ankle can cause achilles tendonitis. Predisposing factors include:

• Tight Achilles tendon
• Pronated feet
• Insufficient shock absorption in footwear
• Supinated feet (loss of foot’s natural shock absorption)

Treatment

Biomechanical assessment will provide an in depth analysis of the problem and the solution. Common orthoses used are anti pronation foot orthoses (pictured below) and silicone heel raises. Silicone heel raises can reduce the excessive strain of the Achilles tendon whilst giving some additional shock absorption. Many people also find this kind of treatment useful as it raises the swollen area at the heel away from the back of the shoe.

We are based in Muswell Hill, North London N10 and we cover the areas below.

Even if you are located outside these areas, please contact us and we will try to help. Our locksmiths services cover Muswell Hill, Highgate, Finchley, Friern Barnet, East Finchley, Hornsey, North Finchley, Crouch End, Harinigey and nearby areas in North London.

Contact us now for more details of the areas covered by our locksmiths services.