In the last decade, a separate group of doctors with a specialization - a podiatrist (not to be confused with a pediatrician - by a pediatrician) has emerged among orthopedists. This is a doctor who deals directly with foot diseases. You can turn to him now everywhere - from specialized medical institutes to private orthopedic salons. There you can consult with a doctor who will thoroughly examine the physical parameters and condition of your foot and give your recommendations. It is not excluded that you will be prescribed orthopedic shoes or special medical orthoses for foot diseases. A similar orthosis should be made for each person individually. Here everything can matter: age, weight, physical activity index and even heel height, which you prefer usually.
Today orthopedic salons make medical orthoses for different types of shoes - from shoes to heels and ending with sports shoes. The medical orthosis "acts" more effectively in shoes with closed noses and heels, on a low heel. Wear it preferably with the pair with which you measured it, although the brace, in principle, can be moved from one shoe to another, if it is the same type and with a heel of equal height.
Orthoses in foot diseases are made from a variety of materials - from a soft foamed padding to hard plastic. The most commonly used substrate is laminated graphite or carboplast, as well as a special plastic that can be heat-treated to give the material a shape of the foot. What kind of substrate to use, can only be solved by a doctor-podiatrist. The cost of orthosis depends on the materials and the complexity of its manufacture.
Types of orthosis
Orthoses in diseases of feet are divided into the following species depending on the diagnosis:
Rigid - with their help provides complete control of the foot when moving, they help to eliminate or significantly reduce the pain caused by an outstanding bone. Such orthoses are made of strong materials: special plastics, graphite, steel.
Semi-rigid - also called to exercise traffic control, can extinguish the force of impact against the ground, eliminate inflammation of the soles of the feet. Their basis is flexible plastic.
Soft - represent a special orthopedic pillow that softens the impact of uneven ground. Such orthoses can remove overload from calluses and corns, help to deal with abrasions in diabetes mellitus. They have somewhat worse control of motion, they are more voluminous and lighter than rigid medical orthoses. They are made by imposing on a spongy plastic or foamed base.
Prophylactic - just able to protect the foot from increased loads. They are made of cork, leather or foam. Often there are cuttings or cuttings for the most problematic areas of the foot - under the bone of the thumb, under the heel spurs, etc.
A special orthosis has already been developed for foot sickness in children, because they have problems with foot as much as adults. Very often, diseases associated with deformations of the child's foot lead to a violation of posture - scoliosis. Tough children's orthoses can help the child's bone system to form and develop in the right direction. Insole-orthosis, made to order, can serve a long, at least 5 years. The period of wear depends on the material and, of course, the accuracy of wearing.
Not all people have foot parameters that fit into the standards that factory shoes are usually made of. In addition, recently, shoe manufacturers began to overlook such a feature as fullness of the foot, or rather, feet. Therefore, elderly people, as well as those whose foot does not meet the standard, need special shoes. Shoes of the same size differ in different width of the track, different volume of fullness of the foot in its front part.
Medical orthoses will protect your legs from overload and discomfort, from calluses and rubbing. This is especially true for people who suffer from diabetes. For them, even special models of shoes were developed.