Your feet provide a foundation for you to stand, walk, balance, and move through life. Their role in your good health is difficult to overstate. Providing them with a little extra support is the least you can do for your heroic feet.
Custom orthotics might just be the answer to the question you don’t realize your feet are asking. They can provide support, ease pain, and provide unexpected benefits.
At Glendale Foot and Ankle Podiatry Center, Dr. Hermoz Ayvazian specializes in disorders of the foot, and more importantly, in helping you avoid any such disorders that are preventable. One of the ways he does that is through custom orthotics.
Here are five ways custom orthotics can improve your life.
1. You enjoy a sturdier foundation
If you pause to think about what your feet do when it comes to moving, balancing, and supporting your body, it’s pretty amazing. Especially when you consider the size of your feet relative to the rest of your body. Compared to, say, your thigh, your feet are really quite small. It’s incredible to think that these tiny appendages bear the entire burden of your musculoskeletal structure and allow you to walk through life.
Your feet don’t do all of that alone, of course. Along with your feet, your ankles, knees, hips, and back engage to keep you balanced and moving. This means that even a small problem in your feet has the potential to throw your entire biomechanical system out of alignment.
For example, if you injure your heel, you may walk just a little differently. That small difference in gait can make you sore, cause your knees to hurt, or make your back ache.
Custom orthotics can keep your foundation stable, so that the rest of your body functions well.
2. Your athletic performance improves
If you, like many of the other patients who come to Glendale Foot and Ankle Podiatry Center, enjoy athletic pursuits, you may be surprised at the difference orthotics can make. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a regular at the gym, a good support system is essential.
Dr. Ayvazian evaluates your foot health in light of your activity level and designs orthotics taking your lifestyle into consideration. This protects your feet and may give your performance a boost.
3. You will go further
As we’ve mentioned, your feet work hard. Custom orthotics can help you keep up with all you do with ease, and, more importantly, without pain.
For example, if you spend a lot of time on your feet at your job, custom orthotics can prevent them from becoming overstressed or tired with extra support.
4. You’ll walk your walk — correctly
Some people overpronate, which means their ankles collapse inward with each step, and others supinate, which means their ankles lean outward. Another great benefit of custom orthotics is that they correct those kinds of gait problems.
Gait correction corrects your alignment, helps your shoes wear more evenly and last longer, and can make your walk more aesthetically appealing.
5. You will be one step ahead
One of the biggest advantages of custom orthotics is that they can prevent numerous problems from developing in the first place. Especially if you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, don’t wait to get custom orthotics. By taking action ahead of time, you can avoid foot pain altogether, and this makes orthotics a wise choice in preventive care.
If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of custom orthotics, or you’d like Dr. Ayvazian to evaluate your situation, book an appointment at Glendale Foot and Ankle Podiatry Center today. We have two convenient locations; simply call the one that works best for you, and we’ll book your appointment.