In this blog post, I’ll try to help you learn more about foot orthotics and the world around it without delving into specific injuries – if you’re interested in a specific injury, you can scroll further below our blog posts.

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You’ve probably heard the statements before: “An orthotic makes your foot lazy”, “You’ll get addicted to orthotics” or “Foot orthotics are only for old people”👵🏻. Foot orthotics have historically divided experts, retailers and consumers – and rightly so. 🦶

Foot orthotics may not be for everyone, but they can be a game-changer for those struggling with functional or structural changes in the foot. For most of us, it will be rare to experience these structural changes, whereas the functional changes are seen as far more common and can have a significant impact on daily comfort and movement patterns.

First, let’s distinguish between functional and structural changes.

Structural changes in the foot can be caused by trauma, previous surgery, disease or congenital conditions. This could be an old fracture of a bone, a person born with six toes, scar tissue from surgery, soft tissue atrophy, sunken forefoot, Morton’s neuroma, heel spurs and more.

Functional changes in the foot can include a crooked big toe, hammertoes, abnormal pressure on the forefoot, functional flatfoot and more.

In most cases, functional change starts with a pain response from the body. If this pain response is ignored over several months or years without changes in the client’s behavior, it will potentially develop into structural changes that can be more challenging to manage. Therefore, we consider foot orthotics to be a valuable relief tool that cannot stand alone, but should be seen as part of a holistic approach to treatment that also includes behavioral changes and specific training.

 

Treatment:

In my five years in healthcare, I have met many clients suffering from functional issues and pain who prefer exercise as a solution rather than foot orthotics. This is an approach I support, but it’s important to be realistic. If you want to relieve pain quickly, it is rarely achieved through exercise. Exercise is a valuable long-term investment that strengthens tissues and muscles over time, but since it takes several weeks for the body to respond and adapt, sometimes short-term solutions are needed. A foot orthotic, on the other hand, can provide relief in a matter of days.

Many are eager to get rid of pain and are willing to change their behavior and follow a training program. Unfortunately, as soon as the pain subsides, there is a tendency to slacken training and fall back into old habits. This tendency prevents further progress and reduces the effectiveness of the treatment program.

 

Our approach:

Our purpose in making customized foot orthotics is to relieve muscles, joints or nerves to reduce pain. By using the insoles, you get constant relief, not just when you remember to do the exercises a few times a week.

Why not just buy a standard foot orthotic for 100 kr? The short answer is that it may work for some people, but not for everyone. What sets our foot orthotics apart and makes them the best in the country is our comprehensive study of how your foot works in terms of biomechanics and function. From this study, we design a tailor-made and personalized foot orthotic. This is done using advanced 3D technology and expert craftsmanship in our own workshop. Only the necessary elements will be applied and we therefore only make individually customized foot orthotics.

 

My recommendation:

My personal opinion is that a combination of foot orthotics and training is ideal. A customized foot orthotic can be an aid over several years, but should only be used as needed. For example, during long walks in the woods with the family or prolonged periods of standing during a conference. The foot orthosis does not need to be used daily, but should be seen as a tool to relieve pain in the short term while the foot gradually strengthens through training. With persistent and targeted training, it is possible to eventually do without the foot orthosis.

I hope you now know that a foot orthotic is not always just a foot orthotic 🙂