Putting Your Feet First

Orthotics can help prevent injuries

With the price of a pair of athletic shoes approaching or exceeding $100, you might assume you're getting all the foot support you need. However, since every foot is different no matter how much air the manufacturers pump into their athletic shoes, they can't produce a shoe that will perfectly fit your foot and biomechanics.

Of course, many people find shoes that fit well and they never develop a problem. But others end up with blisters, bunions and foot, knee, hip or back pain and think that that's just the price they must pay for working out.

If this is the case with you, orthotics may be the answer. Orthotics are inserts in your shoes, similar to arch supports. They help create proper alignment when the foot strikes the ground.

Even a minor discrepancy in the biomechanics of your foot, something you don't notice when you are walking, can result in a significant problem when you begin to run longer distances or do more aerobics.

You can buy orthotics off the shelf in the pharmacy, or you can have them custom made. If you decide to use custom orthotics, see a physical therapist or a podiatrist and ask her which lab she uses. If the orthotics are made from a kit or in the office, they may not provide the quality you need. As you might guess, the ones at the pharmacy are much less expensive ($8 to $15) than custom-made orthotics ($200 to $500).

Who Needs Orthotics?

Some people are born with an inherited foot structure that develops bunions, corns and hammertoes. If you have a family history of these problems or are developing them, early recognition and use of orthotics may lessen their impact.

For the rest of us, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Flat feet or pronated feet do not require orthotics if they do not cause discomfort or injury.

Many foot, ankle, knee and hip problems that develop from overuse are compensations for structural deformities of the foot, says Robert Mohr, D.P.M., of University Podiatry Group in Los Angeles.

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Foreword: Billie Jean King

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