For years I went without foot arch support and never knew or understood the reason why people even bothered with shoe orthotics and arch support or even other types of shoe inserts. Little did I know, I was actually harming my foot by not wearing a foot arch support.
Then one day, I interviewed a podiatrist on my health television show who explained why podiatrists depended on arch supports and orthotics to help their patients. He observed and evaluated my feet and decided on a pair of orthotics I needed for my shoes.
The minute I put them on I could feel a difference. For the first time, there was no foot fatigue at the end of the day. My feet felt as if they were energized and I could run a mile or more (great when you aren’t a runner). I felt as if I was standing up a lot straighter and my feet were a solid foundation. At that time I had pretty good posture so how was this possible? It comes down to the bio-mechanics of what happens when the arch of the foot collapses.
I had flat feet my whole life and at the time when I grew up, there were regular shoes on the market and ugly orthopedic shoes. My podiatrist prescribed orthopedic shoes for me and although they were hideous looking, they did make my feet feel better. They had a foot arch support in them as well as the width that I needed for feet with bunions. I could wiggle my toes happily any time during the day.
Because of the expense of these shoes, I didn’t have a whole shoe closet full of them. My mother purchased the best shoes she could find and I learned early that a shoe that collapsed on the sides or in the heel region was really no good for my feet. Foot fatigue would set in fast after wearing this type of shoe.
The podiatrist on my health television show was showing me some of the latest developments in the field of podiatry –how a foot arch support could also be connected with other types of support for the feet –such as a heel support and a ball of the foot metatarsal arch support. They could be used with most shoes —athletic shoes, dress shoes, boots, and casual shoes.
When you need a foot arch support, there are only two ways to get it –by adding it to your shoe or by foot surgery. The problem with the surgery is that foot surgery is only used in cases where the arch has been so distorted by disease eating away at the bones of the feet. Doctors won’t schedule foot surgery for you just because you have a flat foot.
There are many different foot arch supports on the market to meet your needs. Many are approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association. All you have to do is select one if you already know what your foot needs, or talk to someone knowledgeable on the topic to make a wise decision. Start first at TheInsoleStore.com