4 Ways That Custom Orthotics Can Elevate Your Game

If you’ve ever experienced soreness in your ankles or knees, then you know how distracting it can be. For many athletes, these minor aches and pains can lead to a downward spiral of self-doubt and underperformance. 

Fortunately, there are numerous ways that custom orthotics can help eliminate this pain and extend your performance edge. Let’s explore some of the benefits of using custom orthotics as well as potential risks you should be aware of before investing in them for yourself or your child.

Custom Orthotics Benefit Athletes of All Levels

There are countless reasons why wearing orthotics can boost your game. For example, if you’re an avid runner, custom orthotics can make a world of difference in your gait and stride. This is because the insoles of custom orthotics are designed to provide slightly different amounts of cushioning and support for your heel and forefoot. 

By adjusting the insoles accordingly, you can alleviate heel and forefoot pain as well as improve your balance and coordination. In addition, these orthotics can also help strengthen your ankles and improve your athletic performance. 

Certain orthotics, for example, are designed to encourage ankle stability and promote better stance. This can lead to greater power, agility, and stability, which is ideal for athletes of all skill levels.

Custom Orthotics Can Help Athletes Prevent Injury

Typically, athletes will experience a decrease in performance as they advance in their careers. This is due to several factors, including age, conditioning, injury, and other contextual factors. 

For example, soccer players may experience a decline in their agility if they haven’t seen a physical therapist in a while. Similarly, if you’ve been experiencing a significant amount of pain due to an injury, custom orthotics can help you regain your edge and prevent an injury from becoming a major setback. 

The best part is that orthotics can be worn for extended periods of time. This means that you don’t have to stop playing sports during the rehabilitation process. Instead, you can stay active by wearing orthotics that provide additional support and comfort.

Custom Orthotics Help Restore Balance and Coordination

The human body is incredibly complex, as are the systems that make it function. For example, your legs are designed to support your body weight, while your ankles and feet are designed to bear weight. When one of these systems experiences a disruption, it can alter the way that the function of the others. This disruption can manifest in a variety of ways. 

For example, you may experience a decrease in balance if your foot or ankle is experiencing significant pain. Alternatively, you may experience a decrease in coordination if one of these systems is experiencing significant pain.

Luckily, custom orthotics can help you restore balance and coordination by adjusting the amount of cushioning and support in your insole. This way, you can alleviate pain and increase mobility in your ankle and foot.

Custom Orthotics Can Have Additional Benefits for Runners

The human body is built for endurance sports like running, swimming, and cycling. However, these sports are incredibly demanding on your joints, especially during the later stages of the competition. This is because these sports require you to push your body to the limits and maintain peak intensity for an extended period of time. 

For this reason, many athletes choose custom orthotics for running. These orthotics are designed to provide extended support to your heel and forefoot. This way, you can feel confident in your movement, experience less joint pain, and enjoy an extended performance period. 

Additionally, certain orthotics are also designed to promote a natural gait. This means that you have a smoother, more comfortable stride, as well as a more efficient stride. This can help you cover longer distances with less effort.

Custom Orthotics Can Have Risks for Athletes

The best orthotics, like most athletic gear, are going to be expensive. However, custom orthotics are unique in that they can be worn for long periods of time. This means that you can wear them for months, years, and even decades. 

For these reasons, it’s important to understand what the risks are when wearing orthotics for extended periods of time. The most common risk is that your orthotics may not feel like they’re providing you with the support that you need. 

This may be due to the fact that your foot or ankle is changing, as well as the fact that your feet and ankles are getting older. However, you can help mitigate this risk by regularly wearing your orthotics as part of a routine. This way, you can encourage your body to adjust to its presence.

How to Choose the Right Orthotic for You or Your Child?

Before investing in custom orthotics, you need to understand how they work. The best way to do this is to try out a variety of orthotic types to see what works best for you. This way, you can determine whether you’d prefer a custom orthotic with an insole, one that wraps around your shoe, or a hybrid option. 

Once you know what works best for you, you can determine whether you’d prefer a removable or non-removable orthotic. With this information, you can make an informed decision about whether custom orthotics are right for you. When determining whether to invest in custom orthotics, you need to consider the following factors. 

Answering these questions can help you decide whether it’s worth it for you or your child: how much pain you’re experiencing, how much it would help to alleviate your pain, how long you’d be willing to wear these orthotics, how often you’d need to re-wear these orthotics, and how much you’re willing to spend?

When you have determined the answers, you can choose whether to try over the counter insoles, or if you’d prefer to see a podiatrist. A podiatrist can prescribe custom orthotics. 

Final Words

Custom orthotics have a multitude of benefits for athletes and everyone else as well! They overall prevent injuries, improve balance and coordination, and can decrease pain. They can also be used for adults and children.