It may be surprising to learn that your foot may actually be at the root of your back, knee or hip pain. As a result, custom orthotics – so much simpler and safer than pain medications or surgery – could be the remedy you’ve been waiting for.

At Family Foot & Ankle in Austin, Texas, Dr. Jeffrey Lamour provides individualized foot and ankle care, using the latest treatment techniques and top quality custom foot orthotics. Learn about the variety of benefits you didn’t know custom orthotics can have.

Custom foot orthotics: A superior level of foot care

Custom orthotics are significantly superior to one-size-fits-all, over-the-counter options. These shoe inserts can’t relieve the variety of symptoms that custom-made orthotics can.

Made-for-your-foot orthotics address foot issues that are specific to you, using state-of-the-art technology that screens your feet for structural irregularities like high or low arches. Dr. Lamour knows that each patients’ feet are as unique as their personality. For that reason, generic foot inserts from the drugstore don’t provide the specific corrections needed to alleviate pain.

When we say pain, we don’t just mean foot pain either. Instabilities or gait problems caused by structural issues in your feet can create ankle, knee, hip and even lower back pain. Your feet have a hefty task, carrying you everywhere you go. That said, it stands to reason that starting from the ground up can help alleviate the pain you have in other parts of your body.

Custom orthotics carry plentiful benefits

Many patients who invest in custom orthotics for foot pain find additional benefits. After wearing their orthotics for a while, they often notice such perks as:

• Diminished ankle or leg pain
• Improved balance
• The ability to walk farther or stand without pain for longer periods of time
• Reduced lower back pain
• Fewer calluses, corns, and bunions
• Better posture

When your feet enjoy optimal support, so does the rest of your body.

A domino effect

Chronic lower back pain is one of the most common complaints among adults in this country, and among the most frequent reasons for missing work. If everyone with back pain wore custom-fitted foot orthotics, the domino effect could take place from the ground up. The reason:

If your arches are too high or too flat, or you have other structural abnormalities in your feet, it forces your feet out of alignment with your shins. If your feet and ankles turn inward or outward instead of staying in alignment with your shins, eventually, your knees also become misaligned. Once your knees shift, it can cause your thigh bones to shift and become misaligned where your thigh bones meet your pelvis.

As a result, the problem that began in your feet has affected your hips and posture, which makes your spine less stable. When your feet, legs, hips, and spine out of proper alignment, chances are you will experience lower back pain. Foot orthotics can correct this misalignment of bones beginning with your feet, creating a positive domino effect upward, until your posture improves, alleviating back pain.

Custom orthotics change the way your body moves. They also absorb impact when you walk, run, or stand. Along with alleviating back pain, this additional shock absorption may alleviate pain in your ankles, knees, and hips. And that could very well improve the quality of your life.

Your feet may not be the first area that comes to mind when you’re trying to get to the root cause of your back and joint pain, but it’s certainly worth investigating as part of the problem. To learn whether custom orthotics may be right for you, call or book a consultation online with Family Foot & Ankle.