While you may be well versed in the benefits that orthotic insoles can bring, how exactly do they work? The truth is much simpler but more beneficial than you may imagine.

Whether it’s because you hurt yourself in a minor accident or spend too many hours up and about, foot pain can be one of the most annoying pains and one of the most common and one you’ll likely experience at some point in your life.

Replacing your shoe insoles with orthotic ones can completely change how your feet feel in various ways. Not only do they help prevent specific injuries and ailments, but they can help relieve or even flat-out eliminate your pain. Investing in custom-made orthotic insoles ensures that your feet have every one of their needs met by treating them in multiple ways.

1. Ground Reaction Force

The Ground Reaction Force is perhaps the most easily noticeable effect that orthotic insoles have on your feet. GRF is the pressure you feel when your feet make contact with the ground. As drawn up in a diagram shown by the Australian site, The Foot Hub, when your feet come into contact with the ground without orthotic insoles, all of that pressure is put on two points, the ball and the heel. Constantly putting pressure here, especially when doing activities such as running, cause the area to wear down and experience things such as tendinitis, which brings excruciating pain in the heel. When wearing orthotic insoles, specifically custom-made ones, the GRF is distributed evenly across your foot, reducing pressure on those two points and allowing your whole foot to aid in support.

2. Cushioning

Distributing pressure isn’t the only way insoles help your feet and the daily stress they experience; a good quality pair of insoles also take on some of the force. If you’re walking on a cloud, you’ll want to look for insoles that’ll cushion every step and make it feel like a specific cushioning layer inside of them. This is most often seen as a layer of gel or memory foam. Both have their benefits and drawbacks, as is pointed out in an article by Upstep; memory foam, though quickly being the most comfortable, by their very nature, will naturally mould to the shape that your feet are already in, which will bring back if not make worse the pain that you feel in your feet. Conversely, Gell is not as comfortable but superior for shock absorption in heavy-hitting activities like running or specific sports. Going with custom-made orthotics ensures that you pick the best option and that they mould to your feet, so you feel as few drawbacks as possible.

3. Structure

A benefit you’ll most likely notice and appreciate in the long run is how orthotic insoles can change the very structure of your feet. While this benefit is much more significant in custom orthotics tailored to the shape of your feet, almost any pair of orthotic insoles can bring about a positive restructuring. This is done by forcing your feet into the specific form they’re meant to be in, providing support for your arch and positioning them so they’re not rolled inward or outward. Without this support, your feet can overpronate and experience flatfeet, which can not only be mildly annoying on their own but, over time, can lead to even worse conditions that cause more pain to your feet. While these insoles can initially feel quite uncomfortable, this is mainly because your feet are already in pretty bad shape and are just a sign that these insoles will help you down the road.

4. Sensitivity

Preventing foot pain is often easier said than done, and it requires a lot of complex parts of your body to come together. Perhaps the most important is your feet and their connection to your brain. Sensory feedback is crucial to the health of your feet, as it allows your brain to understand what sort of issues you may experience at a moment’s notice, such as a wrong step, and immediately react to it, preventing you from experiencing an accident such as a fall or rolling your ankle. Orthotic insoles play a vital part in the health of this function; not only do they protect the bones and muscle that the nerve endings are attached to, but because they spread the pressure your feet experience throughout the entire foot, your brain can be more specific with where something feels wrong and react accordingly.

5. Your Wallet

The best benefit you’ll experience from regularly wearing orthotic insoles is the amount of savings you’ll see in your bank account. A good pair of OTC insoles can run you about $50-$75, and even custom-made orthotics can be a pretty penny at a couple of hundred dollars for one pair. But by consistently wearing your orthotic insoles, allowing your feet to stay healthy and preventing many problems you could come across, you’re also avoiding the chance you’ll have to go to the hospital and get surgery on your feet. In the US, on average, a foot repair surgery could cost you anywhere from $8,000 to a whopping $32,000. Add the expensive medicine and hospital stay, and you’ll realise why you’re far better off spending a few hundred dollars on custom-made orthotics.

Final Word

Orthotic insoles aren’t as complicated as they may seem, but their benefits are nothing to underestimate. In many simple ways that all come together, orthotic insoles can help you and your feet age gracefully so that you never have to experience dreaded foot pain or an expensive stay at the hospital. And while a few hundred might seem like a daunting price, custom-made orthotic insoles like those from StepBetter, are the surefire way to ensure your feet are getting the best insole care they can.