FAQ's
1) What are orthoses?
2) What is a Pedorthist?
3) What is Plantar Fasciitis?
4) What is Metatarsalgia?
5) How long until my feet feel better?
6) What can I do to make my feet feel better?
7) Are orthoses a cure?
8) Is orthotic treatment guaranteed?
1) Orthoses are custom made inserts, made by prescription only, which fit into shoes to improve the biomechanics of the foot and lower limb.
2) A Pedorthist is a professional who is qualified to assess, cast, design, manufacture, and fit custom orthoses. A Pedorthist may also fit and/or modify pre-sized and custom footwear, and cast for custom footwear. A Pedorthist must hold certification through the Pedorthic Association of Canada.
3) Plantar Fasciitis is a stretching or tearing of the plantar fascia resulting in inflammation and pain. It can be caused by poor biomechanics of the foot, weight gain, increased activity level, or injury. The plantar fascia is a non-elastic tissue that runs from the heel bone to the toes, which works with the many ligaments of the foot to maintain arch height. When these tissues are stretched and fatigued over a long period of time, the body will trigger an inflammatory response. The inflammation creates the pain symptoms by making the surrounding nerves very sensitive to pressure.
Depending on the severity of the condition, different levels of therapy are available. Some people will benefit from a simple heel pad to cushion the offended area accompanied by a little rest and special treatment. Others may use off-the shelf arch supports that should reduce some of the strain on the plantar fascia, as well as provide some cushioning. For those who do not benefit from these treatments, a custom-made product may improve the mechanics of the foot, thereby addressing the cause of the problem.
Physiotherapy modalities may also help in reducing scar tissue, and aiding in circulation to improve the healing process. Exercises help to maintain or increase strength of supporting muscles and reduce inflammation.
4) Metatarsalgia is pain at the ball of the foot. Most often, the pain presents on weight-bearing, and the bottom (plantar) surface of the foot may appear swollen. Many people will notice more pain as the day progresses, especially for those who are on their feet all day. Feet naturally swell throughout the day and so the symptoms tend to increase throughout the day as well.
This is usually caused by structural predisposition. For individuals with high-arched feet, there is normally less surface area in contact with the ground, leading to high pressure points. The longer you stand, the more aggravation there is. Even in a healthy foot, every footstep will result in stress on soft tissues. This is a normal part of wear and tear for everybody, however pain symptoms will usually arise when the body cannot keep up with the daily wear and tear. In other words, there is an imbalance between how much damage is inflicted daily, and how much repair work can be done daily.
Depending on the severity of the condition, different levels of therapy are available. Some people will benefit from a simple metatarsal pad to elevate the metatarsal heads accompanied by a little rest and special care. For those who do not benefit from these pads, a custom-made product with built-in metatarsal pads may help by correcting the mechanics of the foot.
Physiotherapy modalities may also help in reducing scar tissue, and improving circulation to accelerate the healing process. Exercises help to maintain or increase strength of supporting muscles and reduce inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory medication may be prescribed by your physician or specialist to control symptoms. Cortisone injections may also be prescribed to address the inflammation locally.
5) There are a number of factors that contribute to each individual’s ability to heal. How long are you on your feet, how much rest do you get, are you eating nutritious and balanced meals necessary to supply the ingredients for tissue repair, are you suffering from any other illnesses that drain the body’s energy reserve, and are you suffering from high stress levels. All of these things and many more factors may contribute to the ability or inability of the body to repair tissue damage in the foot. Some people will feel improvements almost immediately after commencing treatment, while others may take weeks or even months to see a real change. Oftentimes, the damage has been accumulating for many months or years before a patient will seek treatment. In these cases, it will usually take longer for the symptoms to resolve. It is fair to estimate that the amount of timed to heal will be about the same amount of time the symptoms have been present. Ideally, there will be a slow and steady improvement over the weeks of treatment.
6) There a number of exercises and home treatments that one can do to help relieve some of the symptoms, as well as encourage better functioning of the foot.
REST – The only tiame the body can repair damage is when resting. Try to eliminate any unnecessary standing from your daily routine.
ICE – Rest the affected foot (or feet) on a cold pack for 10 minutes at the end of the day.
ELEVATE – Raise the feet above heart level for 20-30 minutes after icing.
STRETCH – Before rising from sleep or resting, move the feet about to relax the tight tissues and get blood flowing.
SOAK – When icing is not bearable, it is also helpful to soak in warm salt water (add Epsom salts) for 20 minutes…. This may also be alternated with icing.
7) No – not exactly. Wearing orthoses can be compared to using eyeglasses. Orthoses help where the natural supportive tissues are not functioning optimally, exactly the same way that eyeglasses improve your vision. Neither treatment is a cure nor do they create a permanent change in the muscles and tissues. Orthoses will hopefully allow the body to repair any excessive damage so that the tissues are healthy again. Without using some sort of additional support, it is quite possible that the symptoms will return. This does not mean that you must wear custom orthoses for life, but it is likely that some additional support (off-the-shelf) will help keep your feet healthy.
8) No. Like any other medical treatment, there is not a guarantee that this will work for you. Just as when you have a headache, an Aspirin or Tylenol may help, but there is no guarantee. As discussed earlier, there are many factors involved in the healing process. Orthoses are only one part of the solution. What we do guarantee is that the orthoses will fit comfortably, and any adjustments will be free of charge for the first 3 months. This is to encourage you to come back right away if there are any problems.
1) What are orthoses?
2) What is a Pedorthist?
3) What is Plantar Fasciitis?
4) What is Metatarsalgia?
5) How long until my feet feel better?
6) What can I do to make my feet feel better?
7) Are orthoses a cure?
8) Is orthotic treatment guaranteed?
1) Orthoses are custom made inserts, made by prescription only, which fit into shoes to improve the biomechanics of the foot and lower limb.
2) A Pedorthist is a professional who is qualified to assess, cast, design, manufacture, and fit custom orthoses. A Pedorthist may also fit and/or modify pre-sized and custom footwear, and cast for custom footwear. A Pedorthist must hold certification through the Pedorthic Association of Canada.
3) Plantar Fasciitis is a stretching or tearing of the plantar fascia resulting in inflammation and pain. It can be caused by poor biomechanics of the foot, weight gain, increased activity level, or injury. The plantar fascia is a non-elastic tissue that runs from the heel bone to the toes, which works with the many ligaments of the foot to maintain arch height. When these tissues are stretched and fatigued over a long period of time, the body will trigger an inflammatory response. The inflammation creates the pain symptoms by making the surrounding nerves very sensitive to pressure.
Depending on the severity of the condition, different levels of therapy are available. Some people will benefit from a simple heel pad to cushion the offended area accompanied by a little rest and special treatment. Others may use off-the shelf arch supports that should reduce some of the strain on the plantar fascia, as well as provide some cushioning. For those who do not benefit from these treatments, a custom-made product may improve the mechanics of the foot, thereby addressing the cause of the problem.
Physiotherapy modalities may also help in reducing scar tissue, and aiding in circulation to improve the healing process. Exercises help to maintain or increase strength of supporting muscles and reduce inflammation.
4) Metatarsalgia is pain at the ball of the foot. Most often, the pain presents on weight-bearing, and the bottom (plantar) surface of the foot may appear swollen. Many people will notice more pain as the day progresses, especially for those who are on their feet all day. Feet naturally swell throughout the day and so the symptoms tend to increase throughout the day as well.
This is usually caused by structural predisposition. For individuals with high-arched feet, there is normally less surface area in contact with the ground, leading to high pressure points. The longer you stand, the more aggravation there is. Even in a healthy foot, every footstep will result in stress on soft tissues. This is a normal part of wear and tear for everybody, however pain symptoms will usually arise when the body cannot keep up with the daily wear and tear. In other words, there is an imbalance between how much damage is inflicted daily, and how much repair work can be done daily.
Depending on the severity of the condition, different levels of therapy are available. Some people will benefit from a simple metatarsal pad to elevate the metatarsal heads accompanied by a little rest and special care. For those who do not benefit from these pads, a custom-made product with built-in metatarsal pads may help by correcting the mechanics of the foot.
Physiotherapy modalities may also help in reducing scar tissue, and improving circulation to accelerate the healing process. Exercises help to maintain or increase strength of supporting muscles and reduce inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory medication may be prescribed by your physician or specialist to control symptoms. Cortisone injections may also be prescribed to address the inflammation locally.
5) There are a number of factors that contribute to each individual’s ability to heal. How long are you on your feet, how much rest do you get, are you eating nutritious and balanced meals necessary to supply the ingredients for tissue repair, are you suffering from any other illnesses that drain the body’s energy reserve, and are you suffering from high stress levels. All of these things and many more factors may contribute to the ability or inability of the body to repair tissue damage in the foot. Some people will feel improvements almost immediately after commencing treatment, while others may take weeks or even months to see a real change. Oftentimes, the damage has been accumulating for many months or years before a patient will seek treatment. In these cases, it will usually take longer for the symptoms to resolve. It is fair to estimate that the amount of timed to heal will be about the same amount of time the symptoms have been present. Ideally, there will be a slow and steady improvement over the weeks of treatment.
6) There a number of exercises and home treatments that one can do to help relieve some of the symptoms, as well as encourage better functioning of the foot.
REST – The only tiame the body can repair damage is when resting. Try to eliminate any unnecessary standing from your daily routine.
ICE – Rest the affected foot (or feet) on a cold pack for 10 minutes at the end of the day.
ELEVATE – Raise the feet above heart level for 20-30 minutes after icing.
STRETCH – Before rising from sleep or resting, move the feet about to relax the tight tissues and get blood flowing.
SOAK – When icing is not bearable, it is also helpful to soak in warm salt water (add Epsom salts) for 20 minutes…. This may also be alternated with icing.
7) No – not exactly. Wearing orthoses can be compared to using eyeglasses. Orthoses help where the natural supportive tissues are not functioning optimally, exactly the same way that eyeglasses improve your vision. Neither treatment is a cure nor do they create a permanent change in the muscles and tissues. Orthoses will hopefully allow the body to repair any excessive damage so that the tissues are healthy again. Without using some sort of additional support, it is quite possible that the symptoms will return. This does not mean that you must wear custom orthoses for life, but it is likely that some additional support (off-the-shelf) will help keep your feet healthy.
8) No. Like any other medical treatment, there is not a guarantee that this will work for you. Just as when you have a headache, an Aspirin or Tylenol may help, but there is no guarantee. As discussed earlier, there are many factors involved in the healing process. Orthoses are only one part of the solution. What we do guarantee is that the orthoses will fit comfortably, and any adjustments will be free of charge for the first 3 months. This is to encourage you to come back right away if there are any problems.
Phone: 905-948-0111
Toll Free: 1-888-948-0111
Fax: 1-888-948-0728
130 Konrad Cres., Unit #17
Markham ON L3R 0G5
