Orthopedic insoles support and correct postures and abnormalities in walking or running, to relieve or prevent pain caused by these defects. Whether you’re a long-standing worker, a keen runner or simply want to keep your feet comfortable, we often use orthopedic insoles. But beware! There is a plethora of orthopedic insoles on the market, with very uneven quality levels. It’s hard to find your way around, and buying the wrong insoles can have the opposite effect to the expected benefits. We’d like to answer a few essential questions to help you make your choice, and offer you a selection of the 5 best orthopedic insoles available on the Orthopedic-store website.
What are orthopedic insoles?
A medical device
A medical device inserted into a shoe to support and maintain the foot. The aim of this correction is to rebalance posture to ensure symmetry of the lower limbs, relieve pain associated with deformities such as corns or bunions, or compensate for a hollow or flat foot.
A matter for a specialist
It’s important to consult a specialist to help you choose the device best suited to your needs. Orthopedists, podiatrists, chiropodists and other healthcare professionals who specialize in foot problems can advise or guide you in finding the equipment best suited to your situation. Buying and wearing inappropriate orthopedic insoles can aggravate your pain and make the situation worse.
Innovative materials
Several materials can be used in the design of orthotics. The choice depends on use, desired effects and comfort, resistance and cost.
- The most common is EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) foam. Very easy to mold and customize, the soles are lightweight, resistant and ideally shock-absorbent.
- Cork: a natural, durable material, easily adaptable to support the arch of the foot.
- Rubber: highly resistant, it is often used for intensive or sporting use as it provides excellent foot support.
- Silicone: very supple and comfortable, it absorbs shocks very well and provides support for specific parts of the foot, such as the heel.
- Plastic: solid and efficient, it provides optimum support. It is most commonly used in safety and ski boots.
- Leather, particularly sought-after for its breathability. It regulates the accumulation of heat and moisture under the foot, providing greater comfort and hygiene. On the other hand, it is stiffer than synthetic materials, making it less suitable for sports footwear or footwear requiring a high degree of flexibility.
Why wear orthotics?
Before disclosing our ranking of the 5 best orthotics, we need to know why you might need to wear orthotics.
To improve your comfort
If you work in a profession that requires you to stand for long periods of time, or if you take long walks, you can opt for comfort orthotics. If you have one leg shorter than the other, comfort insoles can be a great help in rebalancing your supports. If you suffer from osteoarthritis, wearing orthopedic insoles can help relieve the strain on your joints by absorbing shocks more effectively. If you’re overweight, they also help to distribute pressure more evenly over the whole foot. Generally speaking, orthotics help you to balance your posture and acquire greater stability, to relieve pressure and avoid back problems.
To relieve your pain
A healthcare professional, including a podiatrist, may recommend that you wear orthopedic insoles to relieve pain caused by specific problems. If you suffer from corns, bunions, sore heels or metatarsalgia (a condition affecting the front part of the foot at the level of the metatarsals), wearing orthotics can considerably reduce the pain. In fact, by distributing pressure more specifically over certain parts of the foot, orthotics help protect sensitive areas.
To correct your posture and improve stability
Wearing orthopedic ins oles helps you regain good posture and a balanced position.
For athletes
Orthotics are highly recommended for athletes. They correct pronation and supination errors, which can be a source of injury, especially for runners.
Focus on the use of insoles by athletes
Regular runners often equip themselves with orthopedic insoles to reduce the risk of injury, improve performance or treat foot problems. Orthotics can correct or alleviate pronation (when the foot rolls excessively inwards) or supination (when the foot deviates outwards). These rotational abnormalities can place considerable strain on the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the ankle, leading to pain in the knees, hips or lower back. Athletes also use orthopedic insoles to alleviate structural problems such as plantar fasciitis (inflammation between the heel and toes), heel spurs (bony outgrowths) or metatarsalgia (pain on the front of the foot). Finally, by supporting the foot properly and absorbing shocks, orthotics facilitate the stride and help reduce muscular fatigue, thus improving sporting performance.
For those with flat feet
From birth or due to overstretching of the ligaments and tendons that support the arch of the foot, you may suffer from flat feet. Orthopedic-store offers you a complete selection of orthopedic insoles to correct and relieve your posture. Flat feet are caused by an incorrect distribution of your body weight on your foot. This puts pressure on the arch and joints of the foot. In addition to the discomfort, you feel the fatigue of standing more quickly, your sporting performance is reduced and back pain can occur.
What are the 5 best orthotics?
As we’ve seen, there are many different types of orthopedic insoles. Depending on use and desired effects, the choices will be different. That’s why we’ve put together a top 5 list of the best orthopedic insoles for comfort:
- 1-Unisex orthopedic insoles, made of leather, provide comfort and breathability for your feet. Thanks to the latex insert under the heel, they provide optimum comfort. They balance pressure and stabilize overall posture. The leather design lets you use them with or without socks. Your feet stay cool and dry all day long. With these insoles you’re guaranteed total comfort. They are particularly suitable for everyday use. Leather is a durable material. The quality/price ratio is excellent.
- 2 – Unisex orthopedic gel insoles fit all shoes and are particularly recommended for walking or standing for long periods. With their 3 cm reinforcement at the back of the foot, they raise the foot to the right angle to harmoniously rebalance your posture. Made of gel, they absorb shocks efficiently. These versatile insoles can be worn all day long, for all activities.
- 3- Deodorizing sports insoles, made from natural fibers, are particularly suitable for sports shoes. Thanks to an innovative technology based on soy fibers scented with wormwood, unpleasant odors are immediately neutralized. Natural fibers guarantee impeccable hygiene throughout your sporting activities. Latex provides incomparable comfort thanks to excellent cushioning. The ergonomic shape and raised heel provide effective support for your feet.
- 4 – Orthopedic insoles with removable wedge heels have the advantage of adapting to your current needs. They feature an easy-to-clip-on heel that allows you to gain a few centimetres in no time. What’s more, the soft, lightweight material provides effective cushioning all day long. You can wear them in all your shoes.
- 5 – Insoles with acupressure cushions, made of soft rubber, for all-day comfort. The concept is based on natural methods of foot massage. Small rubber pebbles implanted in the sole stimulate energy points by applying pressure. The benefits of this permanent massage are felt throughout the body. Reversible and practical, they are an indispensable ally for your physical and emotional well-being.
Insoles for everyone and every situation
This list is not exhaustive and is limited to orthopedic comfort insoles. As we saw earlier, there are as many models of orthopedic insoles as there are plantar problems. For the sake of completeness, we should mention the existence of insoles or half-insoles for thin shoes such as pumps. So there’s no need to choose between comfort and style! Orthopedic Store also offers insoles for children. And if you never want to get cold feet again when hiking or spending time outdoors, think about heated insoles. You’ll find both warm and heated insoles in the Orthopedic Store selection. If you found this article useful, or if you’d like to comment on it, please let us know what you think