Orthotics: are they the right solution for me?

Alexandra Sandler, MScPT, BScKin

In my clinical practice, clients with knee, hip and back pain frequently ask me: “If I get orthotics, will it correct my pain?” I wish the answer was as simple as a “yes.” But it is a slightly more complicated…

Orthotics provide an individual with feedback to correct their arches and to help them recognize proper foot alignment which can help the body minimize risk for injury as well as correct poor existing biomechanical patterns and a stronger foundation.

For example, if the arches in your feet “fall in” (or overpronate), your body weight falls to inside of your foot. As shown in the picture, this results in imbalances in your knees, hips and lower back.

Possible injuries from overpronation include:

• Knee injuries: the pressure falling to the inside of the knee can result in straining the medial meniscus, ligaments such as the MCL and ACL, as well as poor tracking of the knee cap which results in patellofemoral pain syndrome.
• Hip injuries: the hip rotates inwards, which can cause tight and weak gluteal muscles, stiffness in the hip joint and a dropped pelvis.
• Lower Back Pain: with weak hips and a dropped pelvis, the muscles of your lower back cannot work optimally, resulting in a stiff back and weakened core muscles.

So where do orthotics come in? Orthotics put your feet in proper alignment, with support under the arches. This transfers your body weight to the outer edge of your feet, enabling you to better use your quads, gluteals, obliques and abdominals. When you are able to use these muscles, you then take pressure off the inside of your feet, maintaining the ‘arched’ position. Essentially, you become lighter on your feet.

Orthotics, combined with the correct body mechanics and posture, helps alleviate pain in your lower back, hips, knee and feet. It is very important to be assessed by a health care professional prior to determining whether and what type of orthotics you require as we all have different needs.

So will orthotics correct your fallen arches and help me with lower body imbalances? The answer is “Yes! Orthotics contribute to a solid foundation for an injury-free body!

To book your orthotics,, choose and book with your practitioner here

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Alexandra is a Registered Physiotherapist at Foundation Physiotherapy. She regularly treats lower extremity injuries, including the prescription of custom orthotics. She recently completed numerous post-graduate courses in advanced physiotherapy. You can learn more about custom made orthotics here.