From now on, made-to-measure insoles can treat a very wide range of disorders, explains orthopedist-orthotist Jacques Fecherolle before listing:
- Deformations such as flat or hollow feet
- Hallux valgus or claw toes
- The pains that affect the forefoot, such as metatarsalgia or Morton’s neuroma
- The hindfoot pain, including heel spur and Achilles tendonitis
- Calluses and corns associated with too much support.
How do orthopedic insoles work?
In particular by better distributing the pressures exerted on the sole of the foot, thanks to a clever mixture of elevations and digs. “A hollow foot sole has an elevation at the arch to support it, and a heel cup to decrease the loads it has to bear. A sole for pain related to Morton’s neuroma will include, it, an elevation of the forefoot “, illustrates Jacques Fecherolle.
How to get it?
Orthopedic insoles are prescribed by a doctor, then made by a podiatrist or an orthopedist-orthotist. Which “analyze the shape and the different pressure points of the foot, as well as the patient’s gait and way of standing. From these data, they determine the disorder (s) involved and the necessary corrections”, explains Cyril Marchou. , chiropodist and posturologist, delegate of the French Union for Foot Health.
The insoles are then molded onto the patient’s foot. Their price is between € 75 and € 360 per pair, of which only € 17.32 is reimbursed by Social Security. Their lifespan is 1 to 2 years on average. In some cases (hollow foot, for example), they must be renewed over the long term, or even for life.
What is their interest?
Custom-designed, orthopedic insoles, or plantar orthotics, compensate for various foot deficits and relieve the pain associated with them. “In the event of mild or moderate disorders,” underlines Dr. Tulio Sarron, a doctor specializing in foot and ankle pathologies in Paris, “they constitute a simple and non-invasive alternative to surgery.”
In a few decades, orthotics have gained a lot in comfort, finesse, resistance and efficiency. “This, thanks to the arrival of softer and more resistant materials, such as thermoplastic or EVA resin, and more precise manufacturing techniques, such as heat sealing or thermoforming”, specifies Cyril Marchou.
What are the limitations of orthopedic insoles?
For severe disorders, orthoses must be combined with physiotherapy and / or anti-inflammatory injections. “In the event of a very painful plantar fascia, deep massages will loosen the muscles and the fibrous membrane under the foot (aponeurosis). If there is no improvement after several weeks, an infiltration of cortisone can be considered.” , indicates Pr François Rannou, rheumatologist rehabilitation (Cochin hospital, Paris). “Therapeutic shoes and / or toe orthotics can also help,” adds Dr Sarron.
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