My dad wore big, heavy orthotics in his everyday shoes. I held that picture frozen in my mind for many years.
Not long ago, I was training for a race in Central Park. My arch started to bother me, so I saw the podiatrist who had previously helped me with an injury. He recommended that I consider wearing orthotics.
My immediate reaction was no freakin’ way!
“Number one,” I said, “I’m not that old. Two, my dad wore wide dress shoes. No way those bulky things will fit into my running shoes. Even if they did, they’d weigh me down.”
The DPM handed me a new orthotic to examine. It was thin and ultra-lightweight. “Orthotics are not just for ‘old people wearing orthopedic shoes.’ They fit in many types of shoes,” he said.
“Say I order these today… What if they hurt or don’t fit correctly?” I asked. “My race is coming up. I’ll just get a pair of inserts at the drug store. Maybe this arch thing will go away.”
“Custom orthotics fit perfectly because we use Foot ID to get a 3D scan of your actual foot to create the orthotic.
As a Podiatrist, it is your job to clear up mistruths and educate your patients on the realities of today’s orthotics.
