SOMETHING MOST PODIATRISTS AGREE UPON: “Custom Insoles and Orthotics should be FIRM. If they’re jelly-like or soft, they’re probably not going to help your foot pain problem.”
A study by The Foot & Ankle Center of Washington found that The “Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Kiosk” is considered a sales gimmick in the opinion of many podiatrists. It’s a machine which simply measures weight pressure. With shoes removed, you step onto a platform with 2,000 pressure point sensors which indicate where you typically apply the most pressure while standing. Based on the data generated, you are then told which of their 14 orthotic insert models you should buy for your feet. While the kiosk does measure weight pressure when standing, there is no evidence that pressure readings provide any information that can help in choosing the shape of an orthotic. They also found that when Dr. Scholl’s $50 “custom fit” arch supports from its Foot Mapping kiosk were compared to the regular Dr. Scholl’s orthotics located in the foot care aisle, the results were interesting. Outside of a $30 price difference between the two of them, they were both essentially the same product – both were very soft and flexible; in fact too flexible to provide any stabilizing support. In order to be supportive and effective, orthotics must be somewhat firm. In a nutshell, the primary purpose of orthotic insoles is to reduce the abnormal stress placed upon the foot. Otherwise, body weight will simply flatten them out. Corefit Custom Insoles are firm and custom fitted to your non-weight bearing feet from a seated position. This allows for custom memorization of your relaxed foot, providing shock absorption to your feet while walking, running or standing.
Corefit Custom Insoles® bridge the gap between podiatrist fitted custom insoles and store bought rubber, gel and foam insoles. These over the counter orthotics may provide some shock absorption, but minimal (if any) therapeutic control and support. Stabilization of the foot (by extension, the leg, hip and back) are critical to properly executed walking and running. It takes one one unstable step to introduce a multitude of unknowns to the foot which can potentially lead to physical discomfort or injury.
For example, if your metatarsal arch/ball of foot hurts when walking or running, transferring the impact pressure away from the ball of your foot is goal number one. In order to accomplish this, an orthotic insert must be rigid in order to transfer this pressure away from the ball of the foot and distribute it to the arch. To summarize, for this price point, there are much more effective & supportive custom orthotics available over the counter.
There are countless types and causes of foot pain. Whether you’ve experienced the sharp pain of plantar fasciitis or the burning sensation of metatarsalgia, foot pain relief can be hard to find. The one silver lining is the technology to relieve foot pain has come a long way over time. Corefit Custom Insoles can help relieve the pain and mobility issues commonly associated with many foot ailments.
