Tired of Living with Pain? Orthotics May be Right for You
Posted: Wednesday, March 30, 2005
by lorien1973
Online Discount Mart Home & Garden Decor
Do your feet hurt? Do your ankles, knees, hips, or back hurt? If your legs are tired, if your back aches, or if your feet just tend to be sore, these are indicators that all is not well with your body. It is not good to ignore your body’s warning signs, but if you are like most people, you just learn to live with a certain amount of pain.
When you experience these kinds of pain, there is a lot going on with your body. There are complex processes in the way the feet distribute weight as a person walks or runs, but a simple explanation is that your feet do not hit the ground correctly because they are not aligned properly.
What if you could greatly improve the way you feel each day without enduring surgery, without the expense of a chiropractor, and without dangerous side effects from medication? What if you could change your life by simply slipping inserts into your shoes? Would you give it a try?
You have probably seen those silly commercials advertising gel inserts. The commercial may seem silly, but the product is not. Gel inserts are just one type of orthotic (i.e. insert) that are currently available. There are several other types and brands and they actually do make a difference.
Most drug stores and retail chains carry a selection of different brands and styles of orthotics that are appropriate for different foot ailments. To make sure you choose the correct size, go to a shoe store and have your foot measured with a Branek Device. This sliding metal contraption adjusts to the shape of your foot, and is far more accurate in determining the appropriate size than looking inside your favorite pair of shoes. As anyone who has shopped for shoes recently knows, shoe sizes differ greatly, especially with imported shoes.
Overweight people may need orthotics with extra padding. Excess weight creates added stress on the feet, which can damage the bones if ignored. Padding not only cushions the feet, but also helps absorb more shock.
If your pain is serious or causes you concern, you should see a podiatrist. He or she may decide that you need more correction than commercial inserts can offer, and may prescribe custom-made orthotics. The doctor will make a cast of your foot and have orthotic devices specially designed to meet your particular needs.
While you consider this option, you may want to purchase commercial inserts and see for yourself how much relief you can obtain. Commercially available orthotics cost less than a good pair of comfortable slippers and they do much more to soothe your aching feet. If something so simple and inexpensive can help alleviate the pain you are currently living with, what do you have to lose?
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