St. Louis Orthotics by Citrin Chiropractic Center

As everyone knows Chiropractors are health professionals that deal with the bodies musculoskeletal and nervous system. What many people do not realize is that chiropractic care covers a lot more than just back and neck related problems. After all the body’s musculoskeletal and nervous systems runs from head to toe. So you should not be surprised to learn that chiropractic care sometimes involves treating foot pain and the root problems that cause it.

Because of this your chiropractor possesses a lot of knowledge about orthotic devices. These are molded devices that are placed inside of shoes to help correct foot problems. They are made out of all different types of material such as metal, plastic, rubber or synthetics. They do such things as help ease the pain of plantar fasciitis, cushion the foot and restore the foot to a proper position to help with balance. There is a very wide variety of orthotics available and health professionals such as doctor’s and chiropractors do not all share the same view on their effectiveness.

Here are some conditions that may be a reason why doctors recommend them to a patient:

• Your feet tend to roll inward excessively when you walk
• You have very high arches or have been diagnosed with flat feet.
• You do activities which require you to stand, walk or run for extended periods of time; this is especially true if these activities are done on hard surfaces such as pavement.
• You are severely overweight.
• You wear worn out shoes, high heels or shoes that don’t fit well.
• You have problems with a tight Achilles tendon or your calf muscles.

These are devices that are usually custom made to fit and individual’s foot to control a very specific problem. We have already mentioned they are sometimes used to treat ailments such plantar fasciitis which involves a ligament that when strained can cause severe heel pain. Orthotics have been shown to lessen the pain associated with this problem and help to speed the healing process with it too. One of the nice things about Doctors of chiropractic being able to recommend orthotics is that when they do, many times your insurance will cover these costs.

If your insurance does not cover the costs you may first want to try a purchasing a non-custom made orthotic device from a drug store or buy a nice pair of supportive and comfortable athletic shoes. Arch supports and heel pads may also help absorb shock to the feet and make them more comfortable as you walk.