Insole orthotics: benefits and types for treating foot problems

If you feel discomfort in your feet or want to improve your day to day life to avoid that tired feet feeling that exhausts your whole body, you may need to use orthopedic insoles.
So, we tell you everything you need to know about this type of insoles so you can choose the best option for your specific case.

What are orthopedic Inoles?

Orthopedic insoles are foot insoles designed to correct foot problems and alleviate foot pain.
These insoles are removable so that you can use them inside your usual shoe or the shoes you wear at work.
There are different orthopedic insoles to treat different cases, which we will see later in this article, and they are usually prescribed by a podiatrist who has evaluated your foot.

What are orthopedic Inoles for?

As you have been able to read in its definition, they serve to correct problems in your feet and relieve your pain.
The insoles are designed to provide support and correct the position of your feet, helping you to say goodbye to those pains that do not let you continue with your day to day and improve overall health, since the feet are the ones that support all the weight of your body and can cause pain in your knees, ankles or hips.
Its most common use is to alleviate pathologies such as:

• Plantar fasciitis.
• Calcaneal spur.
• Metatarsalgia.
• Bunions.
• Morton’s neuroma.
• Arthritis.

Or for systemic conditions such as:

• Flat feet.
• Pes cavus.
• Pronator foot.

They are also interesting for sports injuries.

Benefits of using orthopedic Inoles

Using orthopedic Inoles in your daily life has several interesting benefits for the health of your feet:

• Reduce your foot pain.

It is one of the main reasons that leads our customers to buy Smou insoles, as it is a discomfort that can lead you to stop your favorite activities to avoid it.
With extra support and good cushioning, the insoles relieve pain in the heel, metatarsals, arch or other areas of your foot.

• Align your foot correctly.

If your stride is not normal, you may have pes cavus or flat feet.
Orthopedic insoles can also help you with this, as they improve the distribution of your body weight to make it more balanced and avoid overloading certain areas.

• Prevents injuries.

By helping you to have a better alignment and distribution of your body weight, it increases your stability when walking or performing any physical activity.
Therefore, it decreases the risk of spraining or any other foot or ankle injury.

• Improve your sports performance.

Orthopedic Inoles help you reduce muscle fatigue and improve your stride, so you can improve your momentum or cushioning.

• Reduce stress on other parts of your body.

Your feet support your entire body and if you don’t take care of them, it can negatively influence other parts of your body.

• Greater comfort in your daily life.

Being a cushioned insole and with a structure that makes your foot maintain the best position while walking, you will feel a great sense of comfort.

Types of orthopedic Inoles

There are different types of orthopedic insoles and also different classifications.
Let’s take a look at them.

Types of orthopedic Insole by material used

In this case, we find:

• Latex Insole.

Latex or latex foam is characterized by a foamy, soft and flexible structure.

• Polyurethane Insole.

Polyurethane is characterized by providing high absorption capacity, good breathability and comfort.
In addition, it has elastic memory and its design allows better contact with the arch and heel to increase the sensation of relief.

• Resin Insole.

The resin is characterized by its thinness, so it can be adapted to any type of footwear more easily.

• Insole with rubber components.

The rubber is characterized by different hardnesses, which is ideal for heel and arch supports.

Insole types according to what they solve

In the latter case, you can find:

• Insole for metatarsalgia.

If you suffer from metatarsalgia these are the ones to buy.
They offer additional support in the forefoot to relieve pressure and reduce pain.

• Insole for heel pain.

They are ideal for you if you suffer from heel spurs or plantar fasciitis because they will relieve your heel pain by providing additional support that cushions and reduces pressure in this area.

• Insole for the arch of the foot.

If your arch is collapsed or elevated this is the insole you need.
They have additional arch support to stabilize your foot and correct your body distribution.

• Insole for flat feet.

If you leave a footprint that shows your entire foot when you step, you need an Insole that lifts your arch and provides stability to your foot, relieving the stress on your foot.

• Insole for pes cavus.

If the arch of your foot rises too high, you need insoles that provide additional support and have a design that accommodates the curve of the arch.

Side effects of orthopedic Inoles

One of the most frequent doubts that customers often have when they have never used orthopedic insoles is whether they have side effects.
When you start wearing them you may feel a little initial discomfort.
Your feet need to adapt to the new position, so it is something that should disappear in a few days.
It may also happen that, due to the constant rubbing, blisters or abrasions may appear on your feet.
To avoid this, make sure your shoes are wide enough so that you can fit your insoles in them properly.
That’s about it.
Keep in mind that orthotics help relieve pain and improve your posture, but you may need to combine them with stretching or exercises to strengthen your feet.
Your doctor will recommend them according to your case.

Pain when using orthopedic Insole?

As mentioned in the previous section, it is common to notice discomfort when you start wearing your orthopedic insoles, but it should disappear as your foot gets used to them.
If it does not, you may have pain from:

• Having an underlying pathology. The pain may be caused by something else and may not go away completely if other pathologies are not treated.
  Go to your doctor to have your case checked.
• Inadequate adjustment. If they are too large or too small, they will not give you the support you need to relieve your pain.
• That there is an overcorrection. This usually occurs if there is not a good diagnosis and additional pressure is being generated in certain areas of your foot.

How do Smou Insoles orthopedic insoles help you?

At Smou we have 4 ranges of orthopedic Inoles to cover the main needs we have seen in orthopedics:

• Smou Dolor range: for relief and improvement of metatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs and bunions.
• Smou Prevent range: to prevent ailments if you have flat feet or pes cavus.
• Smou Comfort range: if you are looking for rest for tired feet, long shifts on your feet, wear safety boots or want to alleviate the pain caused by those party shoes.
• Smou Sport range: if you do sports and are looking to improve your recovery, impulse, stability or cushioning.

Depending on your case, you will be more interested in some Smou insoles or others.
The good thing about our orthopedic insoles is that you can buy them in your trusted pharmacy, on this website or on Amazon so you can put them on now.
You will be able to adapt them to your size and you will not have to wait for them to be made to measure (or pay that price).
Ask us if you have doubts about which is the best Smou insole for your case.