Custom Orthotics Can Remedy More Foot and Gait Issues Than You May Realize

When you think of orthotics, you might picture the store-bought versions you find at the pharmacy. These shoe inserts can provide some added cushioning or a little bit of arch support. They don’t, however, have the same capacity to help your feet as custom orthotics you get from a podiatrist. 

That’s why Christopher Vittori, DPM, and Ameet Thakrar, DPM, offer custom orthotics here at Vittori Foot & Ankle Specialist in Homer Glen and New Lenox, Illinois. When we customize these inserts to your foot and its specific needs, the orthotics can correct a wide range of foot and gait issues. 

What we can treat with orthotics

We offer orthotics that provide cushioning and support, along with orthotics that can control motion in your foot. That means we can fit you with shoe inserts that can correct or mitigate symptoms from a wide range of foot and ankle problems. 

At our offices, Dr. Thakrar and Dr. Vittori use orthotics to help people with:

• Arthritis
• Bunions
• Chronic ankle instability
• Corns and calluses
• Flat feet
• Hammertoes
• Heel spurs
• High arches
• Morton’s neuroma
• Plantar fasciitis
• Sports injuries

Orthotics can also be helpful if you have pain in another part of your body that’s caused by abnormal motion in your foot or ankle as you walk. Orthotics might be helpful for knee or back pain related to gait issues, for example.  

Finding the right orthotics for you

At our office, we fit your orthotics to your needs. That means that well before we start to consider inserts or how to customize them to your foot, we begin by talking with you about your podiatric problem. 

Once we understand what you’re experiencing as you walk, stand, and are otherwise active, we develop a plan to address the problem. In some cases, that might be orthotics along with other treatments. 

Orthotics provided by our team aren’t one-size-fits-all. We customize the material and fit to your foot. 

We might recommend accommodative orthotics, for example, which are made from a soft material designed to provide cushion and alleviate pressure. Or we might recommend a rigid orthotic to control movement as you walk or run.

We also offer semi-rigid orthotics, which blend soft and hard materials to provide cushion where you need it while controlling abnormal movement. 

Because we tailor the orthotics to your individual feet, we can address a number of foot and gait problems with these specialized inserts. 

If you think you might benefit from orthotics, call us, or schedule an appointment online today. We’re here to evaluate your feet and determine if orthotics could help you, or if you’d be better served by other treatment options.