Did you know that you have 3 arches on your feet? While I’m sure that you are aware of the arch on your instep, there is supposed to be an arch on the outer margin and just behind the ball of the foot. My mind…blown! Why is this significant? Because these bony arches are designed to support and evenly distribute the weight of your entire body. When any of these arches collapse it causes your feet to turn inward (pronate), changing the distribution pattern, typically to the ball of the big toe. This will cause your knee to bend slightly, your butt to stick out and your head to go forward. All because our shoes are made only to support the medial arch.
Rigid orthotics prevent the foot from flexing and absorbing the shock of walking or running and over-the-counter insoles are made generically and not customized for your individual feet. Flexible custom orthotics accommodate the need for support while allowing for natural movement of the bones of the foot, creating shock absorption. This then translates to proper positioning of the knee, pulling the butt forward taking huge amounts of pressure off of the lumbar spine, and getting your head back over your shoulders.
