As we grow older we start to experience pain in our bones and joints. In addition, one person out of 4 over the age of 50, also experience pain in their feet. Painful feet can prevent people from walking and mobilising as much as they may want to. The pain can also cause lengthened periods of rest which can also reduce muscle strength over time. This lack of muscle strength can decrease balance, which can increase the risk of falls, which can result in injury. Orthotics help by decreasing foot pain and can help to increase balance. They decrease pain by redistributing our body weight evenly through our feet meaning that there are no areas of increased pressure. Additionally when using Orthotics, a large area of the foot is in contact with the orthotic and this helps with sensory feedback and improves our sense of balance. Please visit the following articles for further information.
References
- Mulford D, Taggart HM, Nivens A, Payrie C. Arch support use for improving balance and reducing pain in older adults. Appl. Nurs. Res. 21 (2008) 153–158.
- Gross MT, Mercer VS, Lin FC. Effects of foot orthoses on balance in older adults. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2012 Jul;42(7):649-57. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2012.3944. Epub 2012 Jan 25. PMID: 22282317.
- de Morais Barbosa C, Barros Bértolo M, Marques Neto JF, Bellini Coimbra I, Davitt M, de Paiva Magalhães E. The effect of foot orthoses on balance, foot pain and disability in elderly women with osteoporosis: a randomized clinical trial. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2013 Mar;52(3):515-22. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kes300. Epub 2012 Nov 28. PMID: 23192905.