Chiropractic Response

By William Austin, DC, CCSP, CCRD

As most chiropractors know, orthotics are special shoe inserts that stabilize the spine and pelvis by correcting imbalances in the feet. Orthotics help support chiropractic adjustments, resulting in better clinical outcomes.

Many of your patients are already familiar with off-the-rack shoe inserts, but those inserts and custom-made flexible orthotics are very different in terms of quality and effectiveness. Off-the-rack shoe inserts cannot give patients the unique support and placement that their feet need to maintain proper, stable alignment. Custom-made orthotics ore specifically made to lit each individual's foot. A custom-made orthotic allows for the patient's condition and the chiropractor's instructions to be taken into account when the orthotic is created.

The feet are the foundation of the skeletal system. When the feet are imbalanced, misalign­ments and pain can occur in areas throughout the body-even ii the feet do not hurt. The feet, which play an integral role in biomechanics, perform better when all their muscles, arches, and bones are stable and in ideal positions.

While 99% of all feet are normal at birth, 8% develop troubles by the first year of age, 41 % by age 5, and 80% by age 20. ¹ By age 40, nearly everyone has a foot condition of some sort. By supporting and balancing the feet, custom-made orthotics enhance the body's performance and efficiency, reduce pain, and contribute to total overall wellness.

The Foot and Problems of the Foot
The feet support the whole weight of the body, they provide balance, they safely absorb heel­strike shock, and they adapt to walking stresses. Most importantly, feet provide the foundation of support for the spine and the pelvis.