What is a Functional Foot Orthoses?

What is a functional foot orthoses? By definition, a functional foot orthotic is a device that is contoured to the entire foot and used to reduce abnormal motion or abnormal position of the foot. A functional foot orthoses is also used to control the abnormal motion or abnormal position of the lower extremity that is affected by the position and/or motion of the foot.

Custom functional foot orthotics are essentially shoe inserts that may be prescribed by a Podiatrist, Orthopedist, Chiropractor, or any other health professional with a background in biomechanics. They are specifically designed devices that are worn inside the shoe to control abnormal foot function and/or accommodate painful areas of the foot. They can provide stability for the foot and correct injury-causing imbalances. This may result in a dramatic improvement in foot symptoms and efficiency. Other arch supports and insoles may be considered foot orthotic devices, however, they do not have the same corrective properties as a functional foot orthotic. For a professional to prescribe a functional foot orthotic, they must take a medical evaluation and perform a comprehensive biomechanical examination. It is important for the doctor to take angles of measurement, including structural and functional discrepancies in leg length, ranges of joint motion and evaluation of muscle activity. FootLabs goes one step further with the ability for the prescribing physician to analyze gait through video and computerized gait analysis.

A functional foot orthotic helps to control the movements of the foot known as pronation or supination. Pronation occurs when the heel bone angles inward and the arch collapses, while supination is the opposite. Supination and pronation are a normal part of the gait cycle. They allow the foot to absorb shock and adapt to uneven surfaces. However, too much of these motions may cause injury. Many problems with the feet, legs, knees and hips are caused by excessive pronation or supination. Orthotics may prevent injury or deformity from occurring or halt the progression of existing problems and allow healing to occur. If you suffer from sore hips, knees, shins, arches or metatarsal bones, you may need orthotics. In fact, most everyone can benefit from some type of orthotic. They are very useful in optimizing performance and enhancing comfort for athletes.

Functional foot orthotics can be made from an impression of your foot that capture the contour and alignment of the foot. A mold is generated from the impression and is modified to compensate for angular differences between the forefoot and heel, which can lead to excessive foot motion. A thermoplastic material is either milled or molded to the shape of the corrected impression and this becomes the orthotic. Once the orthotic is formed, various materials can be formed to the form to fabricate an orthotic device that is created according to certain specifications.

Foot orthotics are prescribed for many people including children up to the elderly for various pains and symptoms resulting from a biomechanical foot fault. From the sound of this, one might conclude that these types of foot orthotic devices are a medial necessity, considering the fact that no one has a perfect gait or walk. At Footcare Express, we strive to educate people as to the importance of a proper biomechanical examination and foot care. Our facility is accredited by the PFOLA (Prescription Foot Orthotic Laboratory Association). The PFOLA is the highest recognized certifying body for evaluating orthotic laboratories that produce functional foot orthotics. Footcare Express has been active with other larger wholesale accredited laboratories in the country, to come up with a set of criteria that can assist various insurance companies, physicians, and health organizations in recognizing the need for such medically necessary devices.

It is an educational process. Anyone who wears a functional foot orthotic can attest to their importance and how they have helped them become better and more efficient.

Exercise Warm-up and Cool Down

Warm-up shifts blood from the center of the body to the working muscles during the first five minutes of exercise.  If you do this too quickly, the blood vessels will not fully expand and your blood pressure and heart rate will go up too fast.  This is dangerous for people with medical conditions.  In addition, it limits performance and you will fatigue earlier if you warm-up too quickly.  Cool-down is the same as the Warm-up and must last for about five minutes before you stop completely. The ideal way to warm-up and cool-down is to perform the same exercises that you do in the middle of the workout, but do them at a slower pace.  That’s it.

Daniel Steiner, M.Ed., C.D.E., ACSM Exercise Specialist is an In Your Home Healthy Lifestyle Manager.   He designs healthy, productive workouts for persons who want to reach their potential.  For more information, phone or fax to 305.935.4905.

What are the Best Athletic Shoes?

At Footcare Express, I am asked all the time “What is the best athletic shoe? It is a question that is asked daily and has many answers. The best shoe depends on fit, comfort, construction, and the type of sports activity.

The function of an athletic shoe is to protect the foot from the many stresses of running, walking or other high impact activities. This function of footwear will help the athlete achieve his or her maximum potential. While in some parts of the world athletes run and participate in sports barefooted, most of us require and benefit from the use of sport specific shoes. The forces and motions that occur in different sports vary greatly. The type of activity that you are using them for should determine shoe purchases. For example, you would not want to buy a basketball shoe for running and visa versa. Walking and running shoes function best in a straight line where a tennis or basketball shoe requires lateral or side-to-side movements.

The majority of athletic shoes are not well designed. There are many shoes that have inflexible soles. This can cause calf muscles to work harder and can contribute to Achilles Tendonitis. If the shoe is too flexible in the midsole or they flex before the point where the toes bend, a stretch in the plantar fascia can occur and contribute to foot strain. This can be commonly referred to as Plantar Fasciitis. There are many top name companies that are cutting out the midsole of the shoe to make it lighter, however, the long term or even in some cases, the short term effects, can result in strains in the feet. Other things to look out for are inadequate support in the rearfoot or lack of room in the forefoot and poor shock absorption. In general, the most important factor is feel and fit. The best time to shop for an athletic shoe is at the end of the day when your feet are somewhat larger from the day’s walking. Also, make sure that there is a finger’s width at the front of the shoe. This will help prevent runner’s toe.

When shopping for the perfect shoe, it is also important to go to a place where the sales representative has knowledge of the appropriate footwear that matches the foot type. A person with a low arch needs footwear with a lot of support and good rearfoot control. Whereas, as person with a high arch needs more shock absorption and footwear that has a narrower heel. A wide heel may cause the rearfoot to move around too much in the shoe. A person with a “normal” foot would probably work best with a combination of the control and shock absorption. Believe it or not, most of the high-end athletic shoe companies have various styles of shoes that will accommodate different foot structures.

Shoes are not made to last forever, especially with the rigorous activity we put them through. A shoe’s midsole only lasts so long. The soft materials the are used in the shoe normally compress over a period of time and wear out. Eventually, the materials breakdown and no longer serve the function they once had when they were new. Most doctors will suggest that running shoes be replaced every 350 to 550 miles. This means that if you are running 20 miles a week, you should consider changing very 20 to 25 weeks. Many people feel that if they don’t see the sole wear down, then the shoe is still in good shape. The materials can be worn down without the shoe wear even being noticeable.

So it is very important to wear the proper footwear, especially during sports. Sometimes even the best footwear will not solve or help each person’s condition. At FootLabs, we try to help with these types of questions and create custom inserts for solving those hard to answer questions. Everyone has different make-ups and unique biomechanics. The best athletic shoes are those that are the best for you.