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 bit of 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 Optima Foot and Ankle, in  Bend, OR, Drs. Laura Schweger, Evan M. Ross are committed to preventing and alleviating foot and ankle pain. One of the ways they do that is with custom orthotics. 

Here are five ways custom orthotics can improve your life.

1. Enjoy a sturdier foundation

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 slightly differently. That minor difference in gait can make you sore, cause your knees to hurt, or make your backache.

Custom orthotics can keep your foundation stable so that the rest of your body functions well.

2. Improve your athletic performance, reduce injuries

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a varsity basketball player, a sound support system is essential. Orthotics help absorb shock, reduce fatigue, and improve comfort, and most importantly, they can reduce your risk of injury. As a result, orthotics can significantly improve an athlete’s overall performance.

3. Prevent fatigue

Custom orthotics help maintain your feet and ankle alignment, providing constant support when sports or work require long hours on your feet.

4. Gait correction

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 correcting 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. Stay a step ahead

One of the most significant 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, making orthotics a wise choice in preventive care.

To learn more about custom orthotics and how they may help you, Schedule a visit by calling 541-383-3668, or request an appointment online.